NAB going after absconders, POs

Chairman says anti-graft body will file appeals against bails granted in corruption cases

ISLAMABAD:

The chairman of the country’s top anti-graft body on Friday said all resources were being utilised for the arrest of absconders and proclaimed offenders.

“The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will also file appeals against bails granted in corruption cases,” Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said while chairing a meeting of the anti-corruption body.

Iqbal reiterated NAB’s “commitment to its policy of across-the-board accountability”.

“NAB is not affiliated with any party, group or individual and is continuing to carry out its work without any discrimination,” he added.

The participants of the meeting reviewed cases against several politicians including Rana Sanaullah, Sabtain Khan, Aleem Khan, Sher Azam Khan, Amir Muqam and Capt (retd) Safdar, Aslam Khan Raisani, Sanaullah Zehri, Murad Ali Shah, Qaim Ali ShahIshaq Dar, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Dr Asim Hussain.

They also discussed the progress in the cases against former president Asif Ali Zardari and former premiers Nawaz Sharif, Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

Addressing a recent ceremony at the NAB headquarters, the NAB chairman had rejected the impression of partiality in the accountability process saying people who are biased see the procedure as discriminatory.

The national graft-buster’s chief noted that more cases were registered when there was more corruption.

He credited the entire staff of NAB for their efforts in the recovery of money from the culprits.

The NAB chairman observed that he never formed a false case or carried out proceedings against an innocent person as he was answerable to the Almighty. He said the bureau reviewed every case minutely.

“It was decided on the very first day that the NAB will not see the face but the case. I strongly reject the impression that the [process of] accountability is biased. Only those see it like that who are biased,” he said.

The NAB chief reminded that the heads of the bureau in the past too had worked hard and that they had carried their legacy forward.

“We worked harder after 2017 after which more cases were registered. When there is more corruption, more cases will be registered,” he said.

“Similarly, when more cases are registered, more will be the number of bails,” he added.

Commenting on an analyst’s remarks that he had extended his tenure, the NAB chairman said that he did not have any such desire.

“The critics should go through the NAB laws as there is no provision for it [extension in NAB chief’s tenure],” he said.