Transparency, accountability: ‘NAB should act against corruption in Punjab as well’

Opposition leaders say NAB should limit focus to Karachi

LAHORE:

Representatives of several political parties on Thursday said the National Accountability Bureau should act against corruption across the country instead of focusing solely on Sindh.

Qamaruzaman Kaira of Pakistan Peopls Party (PPP), Sirajul Haq of Jamaat-i-Islami, and Umer Cheema of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) expressed these views at a seminar titled Institutional Empowerment and Independence.

It was organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Kaira said the PPP had reservations about Rangers’ operation against organised crime in Karachi.

“The PPP is not involved in extortion. The money extorted from Karachi was used to provide assistance to the Taliban,” he said.

Haq said democracy in the country was in a state of shambles.

“If the current way of running the state is called democracy, it will bring no real change for the next 50 years,” he said.

He said the government should take steps to strengthen all state institutions.

“In Pakistan, democracy revolves around a few people. These personalities must act responsibly.”

“Instead of limiting its focus to Karachi, the NAB should expand across the country and take action against corruption indiscriminately.”

“The Punjab is not a foreign country where the NAB lacks jurisdiction,” he said.

Cheema said all national institutions were being influenced by politicians. He said interference by politicians had ruined these institutions.

NAB Deputy Chairman Imtiaz Tajwar said the bureau was taking action against corruption without any discrimination.

He said the bureau’s work had not been focused on any area or some personalities.

“The bureau will take action against corruption wherever it takes place. The NAB itself is not above accountability,” he said.

He said those hurling accusations at the NAB lived in glass houses.

“Last year, the NAB received 40,000 complaints. Of these, references were filed on 450 complaints.”

SCBA president Ali Zafar said if state institutions were independent and allowed to perform their duties without interference, democracy would flourish.

He said the NAB must remain independent and free.

He quoted the prime minister’s statement saying the NAB was not working properly and there was a need to constitute a commission.

“No case will be filed by the NAB without approval from this commission. This will affect the bureau’s performance.”

He said the appointment of NAB chairman must be free from political interference.

He said the law regarding appointment of the chairman should be amended.

“As with the judiciary, where all stakeholders are consulted before appointments, the selection of NAB chairman and other senior officers should be made transparent.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2016.