ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal has said the NAB is committed to eradicating all forms and manifestations of corruption, including money laundering, public fraud, intentional bank defaults, misuse of power and embezzlement of state funds. “Eradication of corruption and recovery of the looted money from corrupt people is the top priority of NAB and the struggle against corruption denotes our commitment to rid the country of corruption,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
Chairman NAB Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said the NAB would fulfill its legal responsibilities despite threats and criticism. “The NAB administration will continue to conduct inquiries and investigations in accordance with the law,” he said.
He said performance of the NAB’s regional bureaus had been exemplary in the last three years. “Some Rs535 billion were recovered and deposited in the national treasury from October 2017 to June 2021, during the current administration of NAB,” he said.
The NAB has filed a total of 93 cases out of 179 mega corruption cases and these cases are pending in various accountability courts. “As many as 10 cases are under investigation, similarly, several mega cases are being investigated,” he said.
The chairman NAB said bringing the mega corruption cases to a logical conclusion is his top priority.
He said out of the total 179 mega corruption cases, some 66 cases were disposed of in accordance with the law.
“While some 1,273 references of the NAB are still under trial in various accountability courts across the country, in which alleged embezzlement of Rs1,300 billion has taken place,” he said.
He said the NAB devised an effective anti-corruption strategy for the eradication of corruption which helped it recover Rs535 billion directly and indirectly during the tenure of the incumbent management.
He said in the Gilani & Gallup survey, 59 percent of Pakistanis had expressed confidence in NAB, which proves that the NAB has continued its process of impartial accountability as mandated by the National Accountability Bureau Act.
He said the overall conviction rate is 66 percent due to the active strategy to eradicate corruption, which is a significant achievement as compared to white collar crime investigations worldwide. “Reputable organisations around the world, such as Transparency International, World Economic Forum, Global Peace Canada, PILDAT and Mashal Pakistan have praised NAB’s exemplary efforts to eradicate corruption,” he said.
Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said the NAB is the focal institution against corruption in Pakistan under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Pakistan has ratified and signed that Convention.
He said Pakistan is the only country in the world which has signed a memorandum of understanding with China to eradicate corruption. “NAB being the Chairman of the SAARC Anti-Corruption Forum is also a role model body in the SAARC countries,” he said.
