Watching the watchdog: NAB devises internal accountability system
System to work alongside other systems such as the quantifiable grading system
System to work alongside other systems such as the quantifiable grading system. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
In order to monitor and track the performance of all regional offices of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the body has devised an internal accountability mechanism (IAM).
This system would work alongside the quantifiable grading system which monitors the performance of all regional bureaus on an annual basis.
In a statement released on Sunday, NAB said that apex anti-corruption body considers corruption to be the mother of all evils. Under NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, a comprehensive and proactive strategy was chalked out, National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) for awareness, prevention and enforcement, to help root out corruption.
Over the past two and a half years, NAB has recovered Rs45 billion from the corrupt and deposited it in the national exchequer. The figures of complaints, inquiries and investigations have also nearly doubled from 2015 to 2016.
The body said it is focusing on cases of cheating the public at large through fraudulent financial companies, bank frauds, willful bank loan defaults, misuse of authority and embezzlement of state funds by government servants etc.
In this regard, NAB filed 12 references in the Rs22 billion Modarba Scam and recovered RsI.73 billion in addition to associated properties and vehicles. As many as 34 suspects were also arrested in the scam including Mufti Ehsanul Haq, Mufti Ibrarul Haq, Hafiz Muhammad Nawaz, Moeen Aslam, Obaidullah, Mufti Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, Sajjad Ahmed, Asif Javed, Ghulam Rasool Ayubi, Muhammad Hussain Ahmed, Hamid Nawaz, Muhammad Irfan, Bilal Khan Bangash, Matiur Rehman, Muhammad Numan Qureshi, Syed Aksheed Hussain, Muhammad Adil Butt, Muhammad Saqib, Umair Ahmed and Khan Muhammad.
Through detailed introspection and analysis of organisational weaknesses, all procedures, business processes, and pillars of the organisation were overhauled, such as operations, prosecution, human resource development and awareness and prevention.
Moreover, the accountability body established its first Forensic Science Lab (FSL) in the Rawalpindi bureau which has facilities such as digital forensics, question documents and fingerprint analysis.
Further, NAB has rationalised its workload while a 10-month timeline - from complaint verification-to-inquiry-to-investigation and finally to a reference in the accountability court - has been prescribed for efficient, effective and expeditious disposal of cases.
NAB has also introduced the Combine Investigation Team (CIT) system to benefit from the experience and collective wisdom of senior supervisory officers.
To create awareness about corruption among the youth, NAB collaborated with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) under which over 42,000 character building societies were formed in universities, colleges and schools of the country to create awareness against corruption. The apex anti-corruption body is aiming to raise that number to at least 50,000 in 2017.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2017.
In order to monitor and track the performance of all regional offices of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the body has devised an internal accountability mechanism (IAM).
This system would work alongside the quantifiable grading system which monitors the performance of all regional bureaus on an annual basis.
In a statement released on Sunday, NAB said that apex anti-corruption body considers corruption to be the mother of all evils. Under NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, a comprehensive and proactive strategy was chalked out, National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) for awareness, prevention and enforcement, to help root out corruption.
Over the past two and a half years, NAB has recovered Rs45 billion from the corrupt and deposited it in the national exchequer. The figures of complaints, inquiries and investigations have also nearly doubled from 2015 to 2016.
The body said it is focusing on cases of cheating the public at large through fraudulent financial companies, bank frauds, willful bank loan defaults, misuse of authority and embezzlement of state funds by government servants etc.
In this regard, NAB filed 12 references in the Rs22 billion Modarba Scam and recovered RsI.73 billion in addition to associated properties and vehicles. As many as 34 suspects were also arrested in the scam including Mufti Ehsanul Haq, Mufti Ibrarul Haq, Hafiz Muhammad Nawaz, Moeen Aslam, Obaidullah, Mufti Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, Sajjad Ahmed, Asif Javed, Ghulam Rasool Ayubi, Muhammad Hussain Ahmed, Hamid Nawaz, Muhammad Irfan, Bilal Khan Bangash, Matiur Rehman, Muhammad Numan Qureshi, Syed Aksheed Hussain, Muhammad Adil Butt, Muhammad Saqib, Umair Ahmed and Khan Muhammad.
Through detailed introspection and analysis of organisational weaknesses, all procedures, business processes, and pillars of the organisation were overhauled, such as operations, prosecution, human resource development and awareness and prevention.
Moreover, the accountability body established its first Forensic Science Lab (FSL) in the Rawalpindi bureau which has facilities such as digital forensics, question documents and fingerprint analysis.
Further, NAB has rationalised its workload while a 10-month timeline - from complaint verification-to-inquiry-to-investigation and finally to a reference in the accountability court - has been prescribed for efficient, effective and expeditious disposal of cases.
NAB has also introduced the Combine Investigation Team (CIT) system to benefit from the experience and collective wisdom of senior supervisory officers.
To create awareness about corruption among the youth, NAB collaborated with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) under which over 42,000 character building societies were formed in universities, colleges and schools of the country to create awareness against corruption. The apex anti-corruption body is aiming to raise that number to at least 50,000 in 2017.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2017.