ISLAMABAD:: Honorable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB chaired a meeting to review awareness policy of NAB. The meeting was attended by Zahir Shah, Deputy Chairman NAB, Syed Asghar Haider, Prosecutor General Accountability and other senior officers of NAB at NAB Headquarters. Addressing the meeting, Honorable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB said that NAB’s Awareness Strategy in order to make people aware about the ill effects of corruption has been appreciated by World Economic Forum and other leading national and international organizations which is an honor for Pakistan due to NAB’s efforts.
The Chairman NAB said that NAB is mandated to carry out Awareness and Prevention functions against corruption in pursuance of Section 33-C of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO). He said that NAB’s Awareness and Prevention strategy remained very excellent in order to make people aware about the ill effects of corruption. Under NAB’s Awareness and Prevention Strategy, NAB has been engaging different Governmental, Non-Governmental Organizations, media, Civil Society and other segments of society in order to join hands with NAB’s awareness and prevention efforts in order to aware people especially students in Universities/Colleges at an early age. He said that as per the positive feedback received from various segments of society, NAB’s Awareness and prevention efforts have been effectively highlighted by NAB’s media wing free of cost in print, electronic and social media throughout the country considering it as their national duty which has been appreciated by all segments of society. He said that the present management of NAB has taken various measures to check corruption in order to nab big fish, proclaimed offenders and absconders. He said that due to vigorous prosecution of NAB during the last more than 4 years from 2017 to Dec 2021, the Learned Accountability Courts convicted 1405 accused persons but NAB has also recovered Rs. 584 billion directly and indirectly which is pride for NAB as compared to other anti corruption organizations. The recovery made by NAB was then returned to some Federal Government Departments, Provincial Department, Affectees of housing/Cooperative Societies etc but not a single rupee has been received by any NAB officer/official as NAB officers are considering eradication of corruption from the country as their national service. He said that NAB’s top most priority is logical conclusion of white collar mega corruption cases of Money Laundering, Assets beyond known sources of income, fraud /Cheating public at large through illegal housing societies/cooperative housing societies and modarba/musharka scandals by adopting “Accountability for All” policy to eradicate corruption as per law. He said that today NAB has become a vibrant and reputable organization. About 1237 corruption references are under trial in the Learned Accountability Courts throughout the country and their total worth is about Rs. 1335 Billion. He said that reputed national and international organizations like Transparency International Pakistan, World Economic Forum, Global Peace Canada, PILDAT and Mishal Pakistan not only appreciated NAB’s efforts for eradication of corruption and as per Gallup and Gilani recent survey 59 percent people have shown confidence on NAB, testifies people’s confidence and trust of people upon NAB’s performance across the board as per law.
The Chairman NAB said that youth is our future; NAB had signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HEC in order to make students of Universities aware of the ill effects of corruption at an early age as youths are considered a vanguard in this fight. The concept of establishment of Character Building Societies (CBS) in Universities/colleges proved excellent and more than 50 thousands Character Building Societies (CBS) in Universities/Colleges of the country have been regularly conducting their meeting of Character Building Societies (CBS) in order to aware their university fellows about the ill effects of corruption that’s why the nation is now more aware as corruption is mother of all evils. Honorable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB reiterated NAB’s resolve to eradicate corruption from the country by adopting “Accountability for All” Policy across the board. He hoped that the collected efforts of all stakeholders could materialize the dream of corruption free Pakistan into reality which is our ultimate desire. Chairman NAB directed all the regional bureaus to conduct complaint verifications in 2 months, inquiries in 4 months and investigations in 4 months by taking the benefit of the collective wisdom of the Combined Investigation Team (CIT) so that references of mega corruption cases should be filed in the Learned Accountability Courts as per law. Chairman NAB further directed that all the people visiting NAB should be dealt with respectfully and no laxity will be tolerated in this regard.
Apart from its national obligations while keeping in view that Corruption in the present times, surpasses geographical boundaries with ill gotten money being stashed abroad, NAB has also contributed towards the country`s international commitments. NAB being the signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), has set up a cell for combating money laundering and terror financing. Furthermore, Pakistan is the first chairman of the SAARC Anti-Corruption Forum. NAB has also signed a unique Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China to extend cooperation in tackling corruption and to oversee CPEC projects currently under process in Pakistan which is another honor for Pakistan due to NAB’s efforts under the dynamic leadership of Honorable Justice Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB.
