21st DGs conference: NAB to automate monitoring system: Qamar Zaman

Says pilot project successfully completed in Rawalpindi bureau

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) plans to computerise its day to day workings, the bureau’s chief Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said on Monday.

“We have decided to automate our system and computerise the Monitoring and Evaluation System (MES) which has been introduced in all regions,” he said whilst chairing the 21st Director Generals (DGs) Conference.

With regard to the automation, a pilot project of NAB Rawalpindi has already beencompleted successfully, Qamar Zaman said, adding that the outcome of the pilot project would be shared during the tree-days conference.

The DGs conference discussed in detail several policy issues relating to reinvigoration of bureau’s work.

Deputy chairman, prosecutor general accountability, all DGs of regional bureaus and headquarters were present at the meeting.

The chairman reviewed performance of bureaus and headquarters and the status of implementation of decisions taken in 20th DG Conference and found that most of the decisions had been implemented.

Stressing upon importance of  teamwork, the NAB chief said that holding of 21st DG Conference will  provide an opportunity to all DGs to interact with each other.

He reminded that in the last conference, prosecution was given set targets due to which the accountability court conviction ratio was now 77%.

“Efforts will be needed to lay such practices which will make NAB even better organisation,” Qamar Zaman said adding, “We will set targets and milestones which will cover short and long term goals.”

Addressing the conference, the chairman said that due to various reasons, NAB’s working got adversely affected during the previous years. In that backdrop, the year 2014 was the year of reinvigoration of NAB. The present management of NAB initiated the process of putting the anti-graft body back on rails.

He said after a thorough and comprehensive analysis of deficiencies in structure and operations of the organisation, a reform and restructuring programme was put in place which has not only entrusted a new lease of life for the organisation, but also infused it with a new character; a character marked by fairness, objectivity, professionalism and transparency. This is critical to achieving efficiency across different tiers of the organisation, he added.

The chairman said the measures taken by present management such as introduction of Combined Investigation Teams (CIT), review of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) making them relevant to current times, clearly defined job descriptions, rational timelines for completing inquiries and investigations, capacity building trainings tailored around specific job requirements and rationalisation of workload has started showing results.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2016.