‘NAB committed to eradicating corruption with iron hands’

Islamabad: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is committed to eradicating corruption. It is pride for Pakistan that Pakistan is considered as role model for SAARC countries in eradication of corruption due to NAB efforts as Pakistan is the only country whose Corruption Perception Index (CPI) according to Transparency International Report has been decreased from 175 to 116 during the last three years. Pakistan has become the first Chairman of SAARC Anti Corruption Forum which is a great achievement for Pakistan due to NAB as well as NAB, says a press release.

This was stated by NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry while chairing a meeting to review the performance of NAB at the NAB Headquarters on Monday. He said that NAB since its inception has received about 343,356 complaints from individuals and private / public organizations. During this period, NAB authorized 11,581 complaint verification, 7,587 inquiries, 3,846 investigations, filed 2808 corruption references in respective accountability courts and overall conviction ratio is about 76 percent. Since NAB’s inception, one of NAB’s major achievements has been the recovery of around Rs. 287.763/- billion of ill-gotten money which was deposited in the national exchequer which is a remarkable achievement of NAB.

He said that NAB during the tenure of present management of NAB has recovered Rs. 45 billion which is record achievement. The figures of complaints, inquiries and investigations are almost double as compared to the same period of 2014 to 2017. The comparative figures of last three years are indicative of the hard work being put in by all ranks of NAB staff under the leadership of Mr. Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, Chairman NAB in an atmosphere of renewed energy and dynamism, where fight against corruption is being taken as a national duty. Increase in the number of complaints also reflects enhanced public trusted in the NAB.

He said that NAB has devised a comprehensive Quantified Grading System in NAB in order to review and further improve the performance of officers/officials of NAB. Under this grading system, NAB Regional Bureau’s are being evaluated for the last three years on annual basis at a given criteria which has proved very successful and the performance of NAB’s Regional Bureaus is increasing day by day due to regular monitoring and inspection.

He said that NAB is one of investigation agency of the world who has been prescribed for efficient, effective and expeditious disposal of all cases putting including white collar crime cases a maximum limit of 10 months- from complaint verification-to-inquiry-to-investigation and finally to a reference in the Accountability Court.

He said that NAB has organized SAARC Seminar in Islamabad in which SAARC member countries including India have participated and appreciated the Anti-Corruption Strategy adopted by NAB in curbing corruption as Pakistan is role model for SAARC countries due to its proactive and effective Awareness, Prevention and Enforcement Anti-Corruption Strategy and the measures taken by the present management of NAB during the last three years. Due to this reason, NAB has been selected first Chairman of SAARC countries Anti-Corruption Forum which is great achievement for Pakistan as well as NAB.