NAB vows to protect interests of businessmen

Has set up special desk to address business community’s concerns

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (Retired) Javed Iqbal has assured the business community that NAB will not take any step that will cause trouble for honest businessmen.

Visiting the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Iqbal announced that a special desk had been established in NAB to address the challenges faced by the business community.

“The business community is playing a key role in economic development of the country; NAB will protect their genuine interests,” he emphasised.



He asked businessmen that if anyone had a complaint against a tax officer, he should send a written complaint and NAB would take action against the wrongdoer as per law.

“No discriminatory statutory regulatory order (SRO) will now be issued to benefit specific businessmen,” he said. “Honest businessmen should focus on promoting business activities.”

He made it clear that mistakes could be overlooked, but crimes could not be ignored. “Pakistan’s debt has crossed $100 billion including interest, but it has not benefitted the country,” he lamented.

The NAB chairman revealed that the entity had received 39,728 complaints and recovered Rs297 billion. He called on incomplete housing societies to return the deposited money to people or give them plots in order to avoid NAB’s action.

“NAB distributed Rs850 million among the affectees and more will be disbursed to them,” he stated.

He vowed that NAB would continue to protect the interests of Pakistan and engage in across-the-board accountability to curb money laundering, corruption and other crimes.

Talking about Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) action against encroachments, he stressed that in the next phase, action would be taken against those who allowed such encroachments to flourish.



Speaking on the occasion, ICCI President Sheikh Amir Waheed said the business community would support NAB in its efforts to curb corruption in the country.

“NAB chairman’s assurance of not taking any steps to harass genuine businessmen instills confidence in the business community,” he said. “The ICCI will never support any illegal business activity.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2018.

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