Zero tolerance: Anti-corruption termed part of development agenda in Pakistan

NAB is a complaint-oriented organisation redressing grievances

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, while addressing NAB officers after two-day annual inspection of NAB Rawalpindi at NAB Rawalpindi Bureau said that eradication of corruption is our national duty.

NAB officers will double their efforts for eradication of corruption by adopting zero-tolerance policy across the board.

He said that it is encouraging for NAB that the Planning Commission of Pakistan has for the first time made anti-corruption part of development agenda in Pakistan in the context of governance and included a chapter devoted to issues of corruption in the 11th five -year plan in order to achieve the goals set in the 11th five years plan for eradication of corruption.

Chaudhry said that NAB is essentially a complaint-oriented organisation.

The chairman also brought up NAB’s first forensic science lab (FSL), which has been set up at the NAB Rawalpindi office.

He explained that  NAB had adopted an effective anti-corruption-strategy of enforcement, awareness, and prevention to eradicate corruption and to make people aware of the ill effects of corruption at large. He said that NAB’s proactive awareness campaign on “Say No To Corruption” remained very successful throughout the country and today people are well aware of about the ill effects of corruption, which is a major hurdle in the development and prosperity of the country.

He said that NAB has emphasised on the character building of youth which is not only our asset but future of Pakistan. He said more than 42,000 character building societies (CBS) have been set up in universities and colleges. “We have set a target for 2017 that the number of CBS should reach at least 50,000,” he said.

The NAB chief said the Rawalpindi office is the flagship regional bureau of NAB. “It has played a prominent role in contributing towards the overall performance of NAB.”

He directed all NAB Rawalpindi officers to adopt and demonstrate absolute fairness and transparency in the discharge of their duties.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2017.