NAB holds seminar on creating Saarc anti-corruption body today

 ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) first-ever seminar for creation of “Saarc Nations Anti-Corruption Forum” will be held today (Monday) at Islamabad to initiate a strategic dialogue among the Saarc countries to strengthen cooperation and to join together in the fight against corruption.

NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said in order to strengthen cooperation and assistance amongst the Saarc countries and to join hands together in the fight against corruption, delegates of Sri Lanka, India, Afghanistan, Nepal,  Maldives and Bhutan have reached to attend the conference.

The seminar will discuss causes of corruption in South Asia, exchange of experiences to eradicate corruption and steps taken by the Saarc countries from South Asia and efforts made to make people aware about the ill effects of corruption and to provide an opportunity to all the Saarc countries to work together for public awareness to fight against corruption, which is one of the major hurdles in the way of progress and prosperity of the region.

The Saarc countries will also discuss enforcement strategy (investigation) and prosecution, international cooperation, assets recovery, technical assistance andinformation sharing in order to formulate a joint strategy in consultation with all Saarc countries for creation of “Saarc Nations Anti-Corruption Forum” in order to fight corruption on the basis of best practices and lessons learnt.

The National Accountability Bureau has sent the proposal for establishing the regional anti-corruption organisation to the Saarc countries and received the positive reply from them. After that NAB has sped up its efforts for the establishment of the regional anti-corruption organisation and offered for the establishment of anti-corruption secretariat for Saarc regional organization.