Collective efforts imperative to eradicate corruption: NAB chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman National Accountability Bureau, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, has said that collective efforts to eradicate corruption are needed to make Pakistan prosperous for our future generations.

“The perpetrator of corruption not only misuses his status and authority for personal gains but also commits dishonesty. Bribery and financial corruption is a poison for development and prosperity of Pakistan,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Chairman NAB Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said that corruption is not only the root of all evils but it also adversely affects the economy, social justice and living standards. He said for sustainable socio-economic development and investment, corruption must be eradicated at all costs.

He said that corruption has become a challenge for the country, and added sustainable measures were taken in developed countries through which corruption was brought down to a minimum level.

He said money laundering, corruption, misuse of power, assets beyond known sources of income are major challenges in Pakistan. The Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had warned the nation in the first session of the Constituent Assembly that "bribery and corruption is a curse and it is a poison for the nation and we have to deal with iron fist.”

He said NAB is pursuing a three-pronged strategy, which includes awareness, prevention and enforcement. “Under the awareness program in universities and colleges across the country, more than 50,000 character building associations have been set up to educate the younger generation about the ill effects of corruption,” he said.

Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said that NAB was adopting the policy of "Accountability for All" and was using all its resources to eradicate corruption from Pakistan. “The efforts of NAB have been appreciated by all reputable national and international organizations, which is an honor for Pakistan,” he said.