ISLAMABAD: The head of Pak Public Works Department (PWD) has, in black and white, told the chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) stating that he thinks he has made a mistake by taking action against corruption as all those who looted national wealth are moving around with pride but honest officers are hiding themselves. In a request sent to the NAB chief regarding expeditious conclusion of pending inquires in the bureau, Director General PWD Ata-ul-Haque Akhtar held that it had become difficult for honest officers to motivate those who wanted to be honest and NAB’s campaign to say “No to Corruption” might not bring results when corrupt people were not nabbed. PWD DG told NAB chairman that several inquiries were initiated by NAB Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. NAB Rawalpindi started dozens of inquiries in the year 2012 but till today concluded only one. NAB apprehended three officials and one contractor but all of them managed to get bail prima facie due to weak prosecution. The fate of other inquiries is still not known to PWD as they are proceeding at a very low pace. “NAB Rawalpindi has altogether ignored the hard fact regarding award of work in violation of PPRA Rules. When site inspection reports are already available and the site of work is not far away for confirmation, the finalisation of inquiries in shortest possible time are quite possible”, said the DG adding: “I have performed my duty by referring the embezzlement cases to NAB but in retaliation, I am receiving threats from all corners. The accused are roaming boldly and are hurling threats. In order to harass me the false criminal cases were lodged and character assassination campaign through media was launched. At the moment, I am facing nearly 100 writ petitions without legal assistance from the State”. The DG has written that he firmly believed that corruption was as dangerous as terrorism because it disturbed the very fiber of the society. “Keeping it in mind, and immediately after taking over as DG Pak PWD, I started an aggressive campaign to root out corruption from the department. As per orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan, I constituted committees to physically inspect the development schemes undertaken out of prime minister’s discretionary grant. The results were extremely painful as huge embezzlements, fraudulent payments and violation of PPRA Rules were detected. Some schemes executed with millions of rupees did not exist on ground. The national exchequer was mercilessly looted therefore I initiated disciplinary action against defaulting officials and the recovery proceedings against the concerned contractors. By the grace of God, we were successful in recovery of Rs442 million through normal department procedure. The serious cases of fraud/embezzlement were also sent to FIA/NAB for criminal actions”, the DG’s letter states. The DG has further narrated that he himself is facing indirect threats from corrupt mafia. Ata-ul-Haq Akhtar came to know that professional criminals were being hired to physically eliminate him, NAB chairman has been told. “This situation is not encouraging for those who are fighting with looters and enemies of the country. The honest officers are not getting help from any agency. I believe that NAB is the last hope which can save our motherland from total collapse”, the letter concludes.
