National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Director General Col (r) Siraj-ul-Naeem said on Thursday that corruption was a greater threat to business sector in Pakistan as the country loses at least 133 million dollars every day due to mega corruption in different sectors of Pakistan.
Addressing a seminar entitled “awareness and prevention against corruption” organised by the University of Karachi in collaboration with NAB at KU Arts Auditorium, the DG showed concern that Pakistan was ranked 117th most corrupt country on the 168-slot world corruption list as per an international survey report.
DG Siraj said after interference of the NAB and action in the Sindh province, they had successfully got registration of 24,000 acres of land in Sindh province cancelled which was illegally allotted to some favourite people violating the law. This land worth of Rs 4 trillion was returned back to the Sindh government, he added.
He said illegal allotment of at least 0.3 million acres of land in 56 villages of district Thatta was also cancelled in Sindh which was incorporated in Village Form VII in the name of fake and suspicious owners by amending record of rights.
The NAB never compromised on merit and worked without any external or internal pressure, he said. The NAB was free from all sorts of pressures.
Siraj said that recruitment process in NAB was very tough and its officials worked day and night and got training on daily basis from foreign investigative agencies. The DG said no enquiry was pending against University of Karachi under the NAB. He said news published by some media houses few months back in this regard were nothing but rumours.
According to World Economic Forum’s report, 2.6 trillion dollars were wasted annually in corruption globally, he added.
He said 59 anti-corruption and accountability-related laws or acts had been passed. KU’s Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Qaiser said that eradication of corruption was pivotal for the country’s growth and stability. “Our youth must play a vital role to fight against corruption as students will be on key governmental positions and will be deciding the fate of the nation. These sorts of programmes would be held on regular basis in different faculties of the varsity so that they all could play a positive role fighting against corruption, he commented.
KU Faculty of Management and Administrative Sciences Dean Prof Dr Khalid Iraqi said that corruption was the greatest menace of their society. “Its basic reasons are political patronage and administrative incompetence. We must provide greater opportunities to our youth to fight with this menace of our society. Responsibility is pivotal alongside accountability process which must be done from top to bottom.” Registrar KU Prof Dr Moazzam Ali Khan delivered the welcome address and termed these sorts of awareness seminars pivotal for the eradication of corruption and greater awareness among youth. The programme was attended by faculty members, dignitaries and a large number of students.