NAB touched untouchables for first time: chairman

ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Accountability Bureau Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal said on Friday that the NAB has apprehended ‘untouchables’ for the first time in its history.

“The NAB is determined for the logical end to money-laundering, fake accounts, assets beyond known sources of income, cheating public at large, fake housing/cooperative societies and Modarba/Musharka cases by utilizing all its resources as per law,” he said while chairing a meeting to review the overall performance.

He said the accountability courts have convicted 1194 accused persons due to vigorous prosecution of NAB during the last 4 years. “Out of 179 mega corruption cases, 66 cases have been brought to logical conclusion while 93 are under trial in the accountability courts of the country. Being the focal agency of Pakistan under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), NAB is determined to weed out corruption and make Pakistan corruption-free by adopting ‘Accountability for All’ policy.”

He said NAB is the Chairman of the SAARC Anti-Corruption Forum and has signed an MOU with China to oversee CPEC projects in Pakistan. “NAB has introduced a concept of Combine Investigation Team (CIT) to utilise the experience of senior officers to improve the standard of inquiries on solid evidence, besides establishing the forensic science lab which has facilities of digital forensics, questioned documents and fingerprint analysis. “

He said the NAB has also established Witness Handing Cells in all regional bureaus. Chairman NAB directed all the NAB officers to double their efforts to nab the mighty and make Pakistan corruption-free.

He said that Transparency International Pakistan, World Economic Forum, Global Pace Canada, PILDAT and Mishal Pakistan have also lauded NAB’s role. “As per Gilani and Gallup Survey, about 59 per cent people have shown their confidence in NAB.”