Slow pace: Inquiry ordered against ports minister, youth business programme

NAB chief dissatisfied with progress of cases by officials of bureau, other govt departments

The apex accountability body is unhappy with the progress of some of its cases which have yet to be filed in the respective courts.

In a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal reviewed the overall progress of inquiries and investigations being conducted by the bureau, read a statement issued by the body on Tuesday.

After taking charge of the body in October 2017, Justice Iqbal had authorised 43 cases for prosecution in various courts. Of these cases, 22 were authorised for scrutiny, 17 were cleared inquiries, while four investigations were given the nod.

The NAB chairman expressed his dissatisfaction on the overall progress in 22 cases he had approved for filing in accountability courts.

He directed officials to ensure that inquiries, investigations and scrutiny of various complaints are completed within the stipulated period and cases are taken to their logical conclusion.

“Cases should not be prolonged now since a majority of the population have pinned their hopes on NAB,” Justice Iqbal said, as he reiterated the slogan of 'accountability for all'.

NAB does not believe in revenge, he reminded officials, adding that they are not affiliated with any political party or individual and urged officers to perform their duties without any duress and to keep pace with him.

“Officers having a lackadaisical approach have no place in NAB as we mean work only,” he added. Justice Iqbal also reviewed progress in investigations of the 435 offshore companies established by Pakistanis in Panama and the British Virgin Island.

Among these companies, he said, 15 were owned by Zulfikar Bukhari, 34 by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Usman Saifullah and his family, four companies were owned by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Aleem Khan in the United Kingdom and the companies established by Chaudhry Moonis Elahi.

In this regard, the NAB chief expressed his outrage over the slow progress made by the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR), the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), State Bank of Pakistan and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), in providing the necessary record to the anti-corruption body and directed them to expedite the process on providing information regarding the offshore companies. He also took notice of how the Punjab government was not providing records of the Multan Metro Project.

Moreover, he noticed that records for four public companies, including the clean water and the Punjab Power Company, have yet to be provided by the Punjab Anti-Corruption director general despite having possession of the records.

The NAB chief directed the chief secretary to provide the required record so that investigations against 56 public limited companies could be completed.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2018.