NAB chief says flour, sugar scams probe to be taken to logical end

ISLAMABAD: NAB Chairman Justice Javed Iqbal (R) said the anti-graft body has solid evidence of corruption and money-laundering of billions of rupees by the big fish and has filed corruption references in respected accountability courts which are under trial.

“The concrete evidence of money-laundering is available as billions of rupees were laundered by opening fake accounts in the names of ‘Faluda Wala’, ‘Chabri Wala’ and ‘Papar Wala’, he said in a statement Monday. He said the NAB investigates white collar mega corruption cases and time is required to probe such cases as some information was needed to be collected from abroad. He vowed taking the ongoing flour and sugar scam investigations to logical conclusion as per law. Quaid-i-Azam in his address to the assembly had identified bribery and nepotism as main curses, he added. He said there is a difference between white collar crimes and street crimes. “The NAB is committed to logical conclusion of mega corruption cases,” he added.

He said the NAB is the focal institution of Pakistan under the UN convention against corruption and is chairman of Saarc Anti- Corruption Forum. “The NAB is considered role model organisation in Saarc countries while International Economic, Transparency International Pakistan, PILDAT and Mishal Pakistan have lauded anti-graft watchdog’s anti-corruption endeavours,” he further added. He said the NAB has so far deposited Rs714 billion to the national exchequer since its inception which is being termed a great achievement. He said some 1,230 corruption cases, having accumulative corruption volume of Rs943 billion, are under trial in various accountability courts. He said the NAB has constituted Combined Investigation Team (CIT) to benefit from the collective wisdom of senior supervisory officers. “The CIT has the services of director, additional director, investigation officer, legal counsel and experts of monetary and land revenue department,” he added.