‘NAB Karachi recovered Rs2.49m in settlements this year’

The National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Karachi region office recovered a total of Rs2.497 million in settlement this year, which is the highest indirect recovery in NAB’s history.

This was disclosed during NAB Karachi’s seminar, titled ‘Role of Accountability in Good Governance’, marking International Anti-Corruption Day at the Sindh Governor House. The event brought together government officials, civil society members and youth to discuss the crucial role of accountability in building a corruption-free society.

It was attended by Governor Kamran Tessori as the chief guest. Former State Bank governor Dr Ishrat Hussain, Karachi Arts Council President Ahmed Shah, Financial Monitoring Unit Director General Lubna Farooq and philanthropist Faisal Edhi were among the key note speakers.

During his welcome speech, NAB Karachi DG Javed Akbar Riaz highlighted the anti-graft watchdog’s commitment to combating corruption and promoting good governance, focusing on accountability as a cornerstone of national progress.

Riaz said it is imperative to create an inclusive environment where all the stakeholders collectively play their role in curbing corrupting in society, so NAB successfully introduced and implemented internal reforms to channelise its efforts towards specific and quality cases, thereby improving its overall efficiency.

He said the recent reforms within NAB simultaneously address the concerns of the bureaucracy and business owners, creating a fair and inclusive environment where the dignity and rights of individuals are safeguarded and respected as enshrined in Pakistan’s constitution.

He also said that under the visionary leadership of the NAB chairman, effective liaison has been established with the legislature, and executive and business persons. The Provincial Accountability Facilitation Cell has been established for provincial assembly members, the Accountability Facilitation Cell (AFC) for government employees, and the Business Facilitation Desk for business owners to curb corruption through collective efforts, he added.

He pointed out that to address the genuine concerns of the bureaucracy, AFCs have been established at civil secretariats, while NAB’s respective regions have been directed to establish effective coordination and liaison with the AFCs’ representatives for better facilitation and obtaining the requisite details in a dignified manner.

Similarly, he remarked, to discourage complaints with mala fide intentions, the SOP for handling complaints has been amended, according to which complaints written anonymously or under fictitious names would not be entertained henceforth.

Riaz said all these reforms are focused on building an inclusive environment to dispel NAB’s wrong public image and to rectify the previous shortcomings within the watchdog. The seminar also recognised NAB Karachi’s achievements over the past year, including the recovery of looted assets, and the handing over of seized properties and funds to government institutions. NAB Karachi recovered Rs2.497 million in settlement this year, making it the highest indirect recovery in the watchdog’s history.

One of NAB Karachi’s exemplary cases is the one against the Sindh Forest Department, in which the watchdog restored and mutated 1.229 million acres of forestland valued at Rs2.5 trillion to its rightful ownership in collaboration with the provincial government.

These endeavours resulted in the cancellation of all the irregular agro-forestry leases issued by the forest department, the mutation of 98 per cent of the reserved forest land in the revenue records, and the removal of a significant number of encroachments.

They also resulted in the cancellation of illegal/unauthorised allotments by the revenue department, and the demarcation of almost 75 per cent of the forest land by the Survey of Pakistan. In another matter, as a result of NAB Karachi’s efforts, the Karachi commissioner cancelled unlawful entries for 635 acres, securing assets valued at Rs270 billion (as assessed by the Federal Board of Revenue), with market valuations estimated to be significantly higher.

The watchdog’s efforts to engage with the community through public hearings and educational activities were also highlighted. Tessori commended NAB’s efforts in combating corruption, saying it is crucial for the country’s economic development. He said corruption stems from institutional weaknesses, poor governance and the misuse of public power. He highlighted that corruption has severe consequences, including reduced domestic and foreign investments, distorted government expenditures, and poor economic growth.

He also emphasised the importance of moral integrity in preventing corruption. He praised NAB’s role in recovering looted money, and returning it to the government and the public. He also acknowledged NAB’s efforts in promoting transparency and accountability, which are essential for a corruption-free society. Merit certificates were awarded to NAB Karachi officials in recognition of their best performance this year.

Certificates and cash prizes were also awarded to the top students of the declamation contest that was held on the theme of anti-corruption in the English, Urdu and Sindhi languages at colleges in Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas.

The winners — Muhammad Naveedul Hassan of the SM Government Science College, Karachi; Syeda Sehar Shah of the Government Girls High School, Latifabad No. 10, Hyderabad; and Abdul Ghafoor of the Government Boys Degree College, Sindhri, Mirpurkhas — also delivered their speeches on the occasion in English, Urdu and Sindhi respectively.