ISLAMABAD: Claiming to be “unmatched” and incomparable with any agency or organisation in Pakistan, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeks from the government four BS-22 posts for its directors general in public interest and as a special case.
In a three-page summary, signed by NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, the Bureau seeks the prime minister’s approval for upgradation of four of its existing posts of director general from BS-21 to BS-22 at the Bureau’s headquarters in Islamabad.
In order to convince the prime minister, NAB also referred to the Foreign Service of Pakistan as an example and said that the FSP has much lesser overall sanctioned strength when compared with NAB but still it (FSP) has 12 posts of BS-22.
The summary suggested that BS-22 posts will enable the Bureau’s DG to comfortably interact with Parliamentary Committees, government officials in BS-22 and their counterparts in foreign jurisdictions. It pointed out that directors general in BS-21 face “inappropriate circumstances in such high-level meetings” and are put in “disadvantaged position”.
Speaking high of what NAB has done so far and claiming to have recovered Rs325 billion of looted money, the NAB chairman said, “NAB’s performance in fighting scourge of corruption, since its existence has remained par excellence and unmatched compare with any agency or organisation in Pakistan.”
It added, “Even with enormous increase in its workload, it continues to perform its duties by carrying out multidimensional functions relating to but not only limited to inquiries/ investigations, international cooperation against corruption and money laundering, recovery of losses incurred to government exchequer directly or through bank defaults and prosecution of cases in an effective manner. However, the task remains gigantic requiring untiring and continuous efforts with an apt structure to combat corruption and recover the looted wealth of the nation.”
The summary, copy of which is available with The News, added, “The leadership of NAB comprises of chairman, deputy chairman, prosecutor general accountability and its directors general heading various regions/ divisions at NAB HQ, Islamabad is fully committed to discharge its obligations despite all odds and limited resources.”
It added, “The positions of chairman NAB, the deputy chairman NAB and the prosecutor general accountability (PGA) are statutory as per law and are tenure based with the condition of non-extendable. This create a vacuum when any one or more of these topmost positions complete their tenure. The situation at times, specifically in case, when office of the chairman become vacant, leads to complete halt and adversely affect the anticorruption task of the apex body against the national interest.”
“Furthermore, NAB, time and again requires to attend/ arrange high-level meetings with the parliamentary committee, other government officials in BS-22 and also counterparts of foreign jurisdiction equivalent to Grade 22, whereas, NAB has only been authorised with 12 x posts in BS-21. This situation only results in blockage of career progression of NAB employees but also make the senior most officers i.e. directors general BS-21 of NAB to face inappropriate circumstances in such high-level meetings, putting them unduly at a disadvantage position,” the summary said.
According to it, “It is relevant to mention that in all other cadre/ services careers growth is ensured by allowing positions posts of BS-22, according to overall strength of officers in that cadre/ service. On the other hand, NAB, despite having an overall sanctioned strength of 1,000 officers (BS-16 to BS-21) as detailed in Annex-A, remained deprived of their legitimate right of career progression due to non-provision of the requisite posts in BS-22. It may not be out of place here, to quote an example of Foreign Service of Pakistan, which has much lesser overall sanctioned strength when compared with NAB but has 12 x posts of BS-22.”
“Therefore, in view of the aforementioned requirements and to provide even playing field and progression path in a fair and just manner, it is proposed that out of 12 x existing posts of Director General BS-21 in NAB, at least, 04 x posts may be upgraded in BS-22. Accordingly, necessary approval of Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan is solicited regarding upgradation of 4 x posts of Director General to BS-22 in National Accountability Bureau, as a special case.”
