ISLAMABAD: This is with reference to the letter “NAB’s skewed priorities” by Malik Tariq Ali (August 31). The writer criticised NAB for not taking action against those public office holders causing the loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. He also questioned the purpose of NAB based on some perceptions, without getting facts right about the apex anti-corruption agency of the country.
The writer pointed out a recent decision of the NAB’s executive board, allowing its investigators to investigate the Rafi Peer Theatre on its alleged involvement in a corruption case of around $1 million. The writer gave the impression that NAB is functioning to safeguard the interests of taxpayers only where foreign money is involved, which is not true. The fact is that NAB, being the premier anti-corruption body at the national level, remains active in taking cognisance of issues relating to corruption in the best interest of our taxpayers. I would like to invite the writer’s attention to the NAB’s annual performance reports, available on its website, that speak volumes about its actions to safeguard the interests of Pakistanis. Apart from punitive actions against those involved in corruption, the NAB has recovered an amount of around Rs240 billion, which was taxpayers’ money looted by the corrupt.
Recently, the NAB chairman, Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari, took notice of the mega corruption scandal amounting to billions of rupees of tax evasion by telecommunication companies. In another multibillion rupees corruption scam, the chairman took notice of the Capital Development Authority’s LED project. The civic agency was accused of having awarded a contract to an international firm without following procurement rules. Scams like those of Double Shah, the Bank of Punjab, the GPO pension fraud, the Askari Housing Society, etc. are a few examples where it has provided relief to thousands of downtrodden families of this country.
NAB is a complaint-driven organisation and will welcome any complaint with sound evidence from the writer. Mere finger-pointing will not help in eradicating corruption.
Bilal Hassan
Media officer, NAB
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2012.
