TI Pakistan hails: NAB’s effective anti-corruption efforts

KARACHI: Chairman Transparency International (TI) Pakistan Sohail Muzaffar has stated that under the dynamic leadership of Chairman NAB Justice (R) Javed Iqbal, anti-corruption drive in last 20 months has resulted in an excellent impact much-needed since its inception, with record direct and indirect recovery of Rs71 billion and filing of over 600 corruption references in accountability courts.

According to a press release, the TI chairman said it is on account of over 51 years judicial experience of Justice (R) Javed Iqbal, the only NAB chairman who has held the office of acting Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2007.

He said the NAB since its inception has played a very vital role in eradication of corruption and to recover looted money from corrupt elements by adopting “Accountability for All” policy. He said the TI Corruption Perception Index indicates that in 1999, 22/100, the rank was 87 out of 99 countries, and in 2018, during the first year of Javed Iqbal, Pakistan achieved the highest CPI score of 33/100, and the rank has improved remarkably to 117 out of 180 countries.

Sohail Muzaffar stated that TI Pakistan has evaluated the performance of NAB in 2016. As compared to 27 South Asian anti-corruption agencies (ACA), the NAB’s performance indicators are at par or better to other regional anti-corruption agencies. And in Pakistan, as compared to other anti-corruption organisations like Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and provincial anti-corruption departments, NAB is perceived as more effective due to the dynamic leadership of Justice (R) Javed Iqbal, who has transformed NAB into a vibrant organisation.

The TI chairman also appreciated Javed Iqbal’s initiative to have a friendly attitude of NAB with businessmen in the interest of inducing confidence into the businessmen to feel free to do business in Pakistan without any fear, as they are the backbone of national economy, and they play vital role in the development of the country. Henceforth, it was decided that NAB will not handle any sales tax and income tax taxation matters and ongoing cases will be referred to the FBR to handle them as per law.

The TI Pakistan has been working with NAB since 2000 on awareness and preventive efforts to eradicate corruption, and has held many workshops, trainings, and seminars, especially on NAB’s interaction with business community and bureaucrats, assisting in NACS, UNCAC etc. and plans to restart the same role with NAB on awareness and preventive efforts to eradicate corruption from our beloved country Pakistan.