NAB, UK agency agree on transnational cooperation

Agreement to be signed after securing requisite approvals

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry has said that they will soon sign an agreement with the National Crime Agency (NCA) of England for cooperation in anti-corruption efforts and sharing training facilities.

While chairing a meeting to review the performance of all wings at NAB Headquarters on Monday, he said that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) would be signed after acquiring the requisite approval from authorities on both ends, a statement said.

To further improve the capacity of NAB’s investigation officers, he said that NCA-UK had carried out a training needs analysis (TNA)for the anti-corruption watchdog in consultation with the concerned division of NAB.

The content of the course is expected to be finalised soon. Moreover, he said that five courses would be offered in Pakistan in six different fields which had been identified by experts.

He said that since corruption transcends national boundaries, close cooperation between the two agencies would be instrumental in curbing corruption.

The NAB chief noted that six officers of the bureau had visited the UK in 2016 and 2017 which proved to be quite productive in improving the investigation skills and techniques of investigation officers apart from broadening their vision and international exposure.

He said through detailed introspection and analysis of organisational weaknesses, an overhaul of procedures and business processes, all pillars of the organisation including operations, prosecution, human resource development and awareness and prevention have been reactivated.

Chaudhry said that NAB is determined to make Pakistan corruption-free by following a “zero corruption, 100 per cent development” target. In this regard, he directed all officers of the body to demonstrate absolute fairness, transparency and merit while discharging their duties.

He said that the Planning Commission of Pakistan had made anti-corruption a part of the development agenda in Pakistan which was encouraging, especially in the context of governance and included a chapter devoted to issues of corruption in the eleventh five-year plan.

Chaudhry further said that NAB has devised a proactive and comprehensive National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

He said the feedback received about the initiatives which they had was quite encouraging.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2017.