‘NAB working to ensure transparency’

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) acting chairperson Muhammad Imtiaz Tajwar on Friday vowed to utilise all resources to check corruption in the country.Bureau’s acting chief says relevant depts instructed to make procurements transparent

He was addressing an event on fraud awareness and prevention organised by the USAID and Transparency International.



Tajwar said National Accountability Ordinance 1999, which mandates NAB to take cognisance of acts constituting the offence of corruption and corrupt practices, provides effective measures for detection, investigation, prosecution and disposal of cases involving corruption, corrupt practices, or misuse of authority.

He said transparency, accountability and value for money were the main features of an efficient public procurement system. Considering the huge amount spent on public procurement expenditure, it has turned to be a strategic planning rather than a mere operational decision making, Tajwar said. It is considered as an important tool for poverty alleviation and aid effectiveness.

He said realising that corruption in public procurement and contracting was a serious impediment to the efficient and effective utilisation of resources, the government established the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority in May 2002 to serve as the repository of procurement expertise.



He said in pursuance of proactive prevention regime and in line with Article 10 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, NAB was performing its responsibility under relevant procurement rules. The acting chairperson said necessary instructions had been issued to the relevant departments to make the procurement processes transparent.

Representatives of the USAID and Transparency International also spoke at the event.

The event was part of the “Anti-Fraud Hotline” project of the two organisations which was launched in 2010 to check wastage and ensure transparency, prevention of fraud, and proper utilisation of aid provided by US government.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2015.