No inquiry under way against KU, says DG NAB

Karachi

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is not conducting any inquiry against the Karachi University (KU) and all speculations being made in some sections of the media are absolutely baseless, said NAB Director General Col (Retd) Siraj-ul-Naeem on Thursday.

“There is definitely no inquiry under way or pending against the Karachi University,” DG NAB asserted while addressing a seminar at the varsity campus on awareness and prevention of corruption jointly organised by both institutions.

Referring to a report of the World Economic Forum, DG Naeem said around $2.6 trillion dollars were wasted across the world every day due to corruption and Pakistan is rated 117th in the list of most corrupt countries. He told students attending the seminar that NAB was a statuary body formed under the National Accountability Ordinance 1999. Since 1999, he said, 59 anti-corruption and accountability-related laws or acts have been passed by federal or provincial governments concerned.

He said Pakistan lost an estimated $133 million every day on account of corruption and less than one percent of Pakistani citizens were tax payers. Talking about achievements of NAB, around 24,000 acres worth about Rs4 trillion have been returned to the Sindh government by intervention of the bureau.

DG Naeem said the bureau had also played in instrumental role in helping cancelling the allotment of 300,000 acres of land in 56 villages of district Thatta that had been incorporated in Village form VII with records of fake owners during reconstruction of land records.

He claimed the NAB was free from all sorts of pressures and did not compromise on merit. “Our recruitment criteria are very tough and merit based and our officers get regular trainings by foreign investigative agencies,” he said.

Also speaking at the seminar, vice chancellor of Karachi University, Prof Dr Muhammad Qaiser, said eradication of corruption was a pivotal step towards country’s growth and stability and the youth must play a vital role to fight this battle.

He appreciated the awareness seminar and said similar events should be held on a regular basis to develop consensus.

The dean of faculty of management and administrative sciences, Prof Dr Khalid Iraqi, remarked that corruption was the greatest menace of the Pakistani society. “The basic reason it prevails is political patronage and administrative incompetence,” he said. “We must provide better and more opportunities to your youth to fight this menace out of our society. Responsibility for our actions and what happens around us is pivotal, with accountability.”

Registrar Dr Moazzam Ali Khan said the Karachi University had taken practical and far sighted measures for the eradication of corruption, ensuring transparency and accountability in the institution. “The KU does not compromise on merit and ensure transparency in the appointments of faculty members and non-teaching staff. The varsity strives to provide the best learning environment to students.”