Fight against graft: NAB recovered Rs285 billion since inception, says spokesman

Says figure indicates the hard work of the bureau’s staff

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has recovered deposited in the national exchequer Rs285 billion since its inception, a NAB spokesperson said on Sunday.

He said the figures indicate the hard work being put in by all ranks of NAB in an atmosphere of renewed energy and dynamism, where fight against corruption is being taken as a national duty.

“NAB, under the leadership of Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, has chalked out a comprehensive National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) for eradication of graft from the country.” The spokesman called corruption “an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies and undermines development and rule of law.”

“Corruption is affecting Pakistan like cancer. As Pakistanis, it is our moral duty to spread awareness regarding the ill effects of the menace and all segments of society should play an active role for the eradication of corruption from the country,” he said.

He said that the increase in the number of complaints also reflects enhanced public trust in NAB. The PILDAT report for the last year also supports the position as 42% people trusted NAB against 30% for police and 29% for government officials, he added.

He said that the recent reports of Transparency International also rated Pakistan in Corruption Perception Index (CPI) from 175 to 126 in 2014 and in 2015 also Corruption Perception Index (CPI) decreased from 126 to 117.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2017.