Performance of NAB Sukkur reviewed

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau, Sukkur, has recovered billions of rupees from convicted persons in corruption cases and through plea bargains in the last three years under Section 10 of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO)-1999 and under Section 25 (B) of NAO-1999. Chairman NAB Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal chaired a meeting to review the performance of NAB Sukkur, especially convictions made under Section 10 of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO)-1999 and under Section 25 (B) of NAO-1999 from 2018 to 2020 at the NAB Headquarter. The meeting was attended by Deputy Chairman NAB Hussain Asghar, Prosecutor General Accountability (PGA) Syed Asghar Haider, DG Operations NAB Zahir Shah and other senior officers of NAB while DG NAB Sukkur Mirza Muhammad Irfan Baig also participated in the meeting via video link.

During the meeting, DG NAB Sukkur Mirza Muhammad Irfan Baig informed that the NAB Sukkur also identified theft/embezzlement of 253,551.7 metric tonnes of wheat amounting to Rs27.8 billion out of which an amount of Rs19.2 nillion has been recovered and handed over to the Sindh government. He told the meeting that this recovery of embezzled wheat was done when there was an acute shortage of the commodity due to less production in 2019-2020. He said the chief secretary Sindh has also issued a letter of appreciation addressed to the chairman NAB in this regard.

The DG NAB Sukkur said the NAB Sukkur was committed to making corruption-free society on the principles of merit, equality and justice in pursuance of mission of the chairman NAB regarding the zero tolerance against corruption.

He told the meeting that during the period from 2018 to 2020, NAB Sukkur filed 67 references in the Accountability Court, Sukkur. During the said period, 32 accused persons were convicted, 10 of NAO, 1999 and also fined to the tune of Rs880 million.

Whereas, 242 accused persons were convicted us/25(B) of NAO, 1999 who returned Rs2.77 billion through plea bargains after the approval by the Accountability Court, Sukkur. The DG NAB Sukkur also informed that the Sindh High Court, Sukkur Bench at CP No 1115/2009 in its judgment, ordered for the recovery of forest land in entire Sindh province from illegal occupants/ encroachers. Consequently, out of land measuring 1,051,326 acres, an area of 874,163 acres has been mutated by the Revenue Department in favour of the Sindh Forest Department. Whereas, the forest land more than 250,000 acres has so far been recovered from encroachers by NAB Sukkur. He told the meeting that efforts are under way to recover entire encroached forest land from grabbers.

During the meeting, the DG NAB Sukkur informed that the menace of electricity theft has also been addressed with joint efforts of SEPCO and NAB Sukkur and an amount of Rs7.9 billion in the year 2020 and Rs1.8 billion in the year 2021 has so far been recovered. He further informed the meeting that smuggling of Iranian oil is another sore area which compromised sale of PSO as well as polluted the environment. He told the committee that the NAB Sukkur tackled it through a prevention committee and checked the oil smuggling with the help of law enforcement agencies.

Resultantly, he said PSO reported quantum of revenue of government increased up to 61pc in the months of November and December 2020 and saved the amount of Rs316.9 million due to increase in sale and PSO has acknowledged the fact in writing.

He informed that there are total 109 RO/UF water plants in Sukkur city which were not operational but now all of them are functioning due to the efforts made by NAB Sukkur in coordination with Public Health Engineering Department, Sukkur, under its prevention regime.

Mirza Irfan Baig said the NAB Sukkur in all the above operations has recovered -- direct and indirect recovery -- Rs28.84 billion in convictions u/s 10 & 25(B) of NAO, 1999, in wheat scam and electricity theft, etc.

Chairman NAB Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal appreciated the performance of NAB Sukkur under the supervision of DG NAB Sukkur Mirza Muhammad Irfan Baig and hoped that NAB Sukkur will continue to perform in future with the same zeal and commitment.