Tackling corruption: Efficient, firm prosecution critical to deterrence

NAB chief calls for building watertight cases, asks prosecution wing to explain why it lost some cases

ISLAMABAD: An efficient and firm prosecution of cases is critical for building an effective deterrence against corruption in the country.

This was stated by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry while chairing the first Deputy Prosecutor Generals Accountability (DPGA) Conference at the bureau’s headquarters.

Calling for efficient prosecution of cases, Chaudhry said NAB had devised standard operating procedures (SOP) to rationalise the workload.

To ensure uniformity and standardisation, the NAB chief said the SOPs for investigation officers had been reviewed and revised after a gap of 10 years and a combined investigation team (CIT) comprising the director, additional director, investigation officer and a senior legal counsel had been put in place. The NAB chief further said that they had made an effort to integrate the prosecutor into the process of investigation so that strong and watertight cases could be built.

He added that the prosecution division of NAB needs to analyse cases decided against NAB with the DPGA’s required to explain the reasons for loopholes in investigation or prosecution leading to a judgment against NAB. Moreover, all DPGAs were directed to properly prepare for all cases and present NAB’s viewpoint according to law with complete documents and evidences before the courts.

In his presentation, NAB’s Prosecutor General Accountability (PGA) highlighted the performance of the prosecution wing and informed the NAB chief that during 2016, NAB had filed 339 references in the respective accountability courts. Around 98 references were decided and the conviction ratio stood at 80.26%. During 2016, in various high courts, the ratio of maintainability of appeals was at 48.5%, while for writ petitions the success ratio rose to 78.7%.

Moreover, during 2016, appeals at the Supreme Court of Pakistan had a success ratio of 54.1%, with 66 CPs in favor of NAB and 53 CPs against NAB. During 2016, the overall ratio of maintainability in all respectable courts comes to 75.5%. At the end of the conference, Chaudhry said that NAB strongly believes in the zero tolerance policy against corruption.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2017.