National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry has said that NAB’s proactive anti-corruption strategy yielding positive results in nabbing the corrupt. The NAB has signed MoU with China to oversee and ensure transparency in CPEC projects.
The NAB has geared up to perform its national duty by adopting Zero Tolerance Policy across the board to eradicate corruption from the country. He said that NAB during the tenure of the present management, NAB has filed more than 100 corruption references against corrupt people in respective accountability courts and recovered Rs 45 billion in three years which is a remarkable achievement.
He said that NAB was a national apex anti-corruption agency which has been assigned to eradicate corruption from the country. During the tenure of present management, NAB’s regional offices increased from five to eight in order to address peoples complaints related to corruption. In order to overcome shortage of staff, NAB has recruited 104 officers on merit and not a single appointment was challenged by any candidate at any legal forum which showed merit and transparency ensured by the present management of NAB.
Moreover, NAB has promoted 137 officers on merit and seniority during the tenure of present management. NAB has established internal accountability system to weed out inefficient officers. NAB initiated action against 83 officers. Out of 83 officers, 34 officers were given minor penalties while 23 officers were dismissed from service on the basis of misconduct etc.
NAB was the only agency which has fixed timeline for disposal of cases especially white collar crimes cases in 10 months besides introducing the concept of combine investigation team (CIT) in order to have sold base of inquiry/investigation of the case on the basis of collective wisdom.
These measures taken by the present management of NAB proved very successful in enhancing the performance of NAB officers/officials. Due to continued efforts of NAB, the independent national and international organisations like PILDAT, Transparency International, World Economic Forum and Mishal Pakistan appreciated NAB’s performance which was great achievement of Pakistan due to NAB efforts.
He said that Pakistan has become first chairman of SAARC anti-corruption forum for collaborative efforts for eradication of corruption on the basis of best practices.
He said that NAB has constituted prevention committees in federal government/provincial government departments in order to identify/suggest ways and means to plug loopholes and measures for improvement/strengthening regulatory mechanism of federal and provincial governments for transparency, meritocracy, fair play and compliance of relevant laws/rules. NAB’s prevention committees contributed very well and remained successful in plugging loopholes and irregularities in different department due to their meaningful interaction and recommendations.
He said that NAB has planned to establish its own training academy here on the pattern of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy on modern lines.
In a statement issued on Saturday, he said NAB accorded high priority to training of its investigation officers and prosecutors as it was an effective instrument through which human capabilities were developed for enhancing practical and productive efforts.
He directed NAB Training and Research Division to put up report on the current status of establishment of NAB anti-corruption training academy on the pattern of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy (MACA).