Topmost priority: NAB arrested 226 on corruption charges in last five months: chairman

Says NAB adhering to completing investigations in time

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal chaired a meeting to review the bureau’s performance at NAB headquarters in which deputy chairman, prosecutor general accountability and senior officers were also present.

Addressing the meeting Justice Iqbal said that the elimination of corruption is the topmost priority of NAB as NAB is working under the slogan of ‘Accountability for All’. He said every citizen of Pakistan is looking towards NAB to purge the country from the scourge of of corruption.

Justice (retd) Iqbal said after assuming the responsibilities of Chairman NAB on October 10, 2017, he vowed to eliminate corruption at all cost and to change the culture of NAB by only concentrating on ensuring accountability of the corrupt without any discrimination.

NAB was not only conducting complaint verification, inquiries and investigations of the cases on scientific basis by ensuring merit and transparency. NAB is also strictly adhering to completing the investigations of cases within the prescribed period of 10 months.

He said corruption is a curse which is major hurdle in the prosperity and progress of the country. He said NAB officers have adopted zero tolerance policy for elimination of corruption without caring about the status of the accused. NAB officers consider across the board accountability as their national duty.



He said that he has seriously and sincerely started working in NAB sans caring about any pressure with the help of Almighty Allah. He directed all officers of NAB to expedite the ongoing complaint verification, inquiries and investigations including mega corruption cases on merit as per law and on the basis of solid evidence in order to eradicate corruption from country.

As a result of his sincere efforts and continued efforts to arrest accused, proclaimed offenders and absconders, NAB has arrested 226 accused of alleged corruption in a period of last five months. NAB had approved to conduct 55 complaint verification, 39 inquiries and 33 investigations as per law.

He said that NAB in a period of last five months, NAB has filed 197 corruption references in relevant accountability courts.

The Accountability Courts had sentenced 27 accused as per law, which shows NAB’s excellent performance in a short span of five months due to our continued efforts and hard work put in by all ranks of NAB officers/official across the board.

He reiterated that NAB does not believe on exacting revenge from anyone. NAB officers are working as per law and in accordance with their mandate.

He said NAB is determined for corruption free Pakistan as eradication of corruption is the voice of whole nation and time has come that all segments of society should work together for corruption free Pakistan with our joint efforts.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2018.