NAB chalks out ‘National Anti-Corruption Strategy’ for eradication of corruption

ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (APP):National Accountability Bureau (NAB)
under the leadership of its Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, has
chalked out a comprehensive National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS)
for eradication of corruption and corrupt practices throughout the
country.
“NAB has prosecuted corrupts and has recovered over Rs. 4.5
billion of looted public money in the last one year bringing the
total recovery to date to Rs. 264.4 billion since inception” says a
statement issued by the NAB here.According to the statement, the allocation to NAB for its
working since creation was Rs. 11.8 billion, which was only 4.4% of
recoveries made by NAB. “The numbers of applications received in 2014 were 40077 which
was double the number of 19900 received in 2013. The increase in
applications to NAB was reflective of people’s confidence in our
work. “The litmus test of the efficiency and effectiveness of NAB’s
efforts lie in the number of cases processed”, the statement said.
According to the statement, Corruption is the mother of all
evils as corruption undermines development and rule of law.
It added that Corruption not only causes delays in the early
completion of development projects but also causes huge losses to
national exchequer.Considering these facts, the statement said that the National
Accountability Bureau (NAB) was established as Pakistan’s apex
anti-corruption organization which was assigned with the
responsibility of elimination of corruption through a holistic
approach of awareness, prevention and enforcement.
NAB on the directions of Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, Chairman NAB
has been rejuvenated / reinvigorated.
In terms of inquiries, NAB has completed 585 inquiries during
the year 2014 as compared to 243 during 2013.
Similarly as many as 188 investigations were concluded in 2014
as compare to 129 in 2013.
As regards, the references filed in respective Accountability
Courts, in 2014, NAB has filed 208 references as compared to 135
during 2013.
“The rate of success of NAB’s prosecution work in all courts
is approximately 70 percent”, the statement said.
The recent reports of Transparency International also rated
Pakistan in Corruption Perception Index (CPI) from 175 to 126 which
is a great achievement for Pakistan due to NAB’s efforts, the NAB
statement said.
It added that NAB has filed 6 references in the Rs 22 billion
Modarba Scam and recovered Rs. I billion and 73 Crore from Modaraba
Scam besides properties and vehicles.
NAB has so arrested 32 accused persons in this case. NAB has
also filed 8 references in Rental Power Project cases in the
respective Accountability Courts.
On the directions of Chairman NAB, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, NAB
has approved to rationalize the workload and timelines have been
prescribed for efficient, effective and expeditious disposal of
cases putting a maximum limit of 10 months-from complaint
verification-to-inquiry-to-investigation and finally to a reference
in the Accountability Court.
The statement added that NAB has devised a new concept of
Combine Investigation Team (CIT) as the CIT had indeed improved the
quality of investigations as well as the professional capacity of
Investigation officers (IOs).
The Regional Bureaus of NAB under Party Quantified Grading
System are being evaluated at a given criteria. NAB has decided to
give priority to corruption cases i.e.; normal cases from Rs.
100-200 million, Complex Cases from Rs. 500-1000 million and Mega
Cases Rs. 1000 million and above for mega cases, it added.
The NAB has developed Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System
catering the needs of all concerned having salient features of
maintenance of data at each stage including complaint entry,
complaint verification, inquiry, investigation, prosecution stage
and record preservation of Regional Board Meetings and Executive
Board Meetings including case brief, decisions made and list of
participants attended the meeting with time and date and setting-up
of an effective Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System and ability
to analyze data in qualitative and quantitative form having warnings
and alarms system for violators.
In line with Chairman NAB’s firm resolve and commitment to
eradicate corruption and corrupt practices from the country, NAB and
SECP have decided created a Joint Task Force comprising of senior
level officers of NAB and SECP in order to work expeditiously on the
corruption cases referred by SECP to NAB.
To create Awareness against the ill effects of corruption
among the youth of Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in
collaboration with Higher Education Commission (HEC) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last year.
Due to this reason, over 4030 Character Building Societies
(CBSs) have been established by NAB in universities, colleges and
schools to create awareness against corruption as youths are
considered a vanguard in this fight.
The NAB has proposed Ministry of Law and Justice that Whistle
Blowing Protection Act is imperative for the country under the
United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), legislation on
Whistle Blowing is an obligation on Pakistan.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan has approved Whistle Blower
Protection Bill which has sent to Cabinet Division for placing
before the Federal Cabinet for further necessary action.
On the directions of Chairman NAB, NAB’s newly recruited 110
Investigation Officers are being trained at Police Training College
Sihala on modern lines.
The NAB has established Forensic Science Lab at NAB Rawalpindi
and also planned establishment of NAB’s Anti-Corruption Academy at
Islamabad for capacity building of NAB officers/Officials on the
pattern of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy.
The Chairman NAB, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry strongly believes in
Zero Tolerance Policy against Corruption.
The NAB’s Anti-corruption campaign is carried widely for
awareness and prevention of corruption besides Enforcement across
the board.
The NAB hoped that joint efforts of all stakeholders can
collaborate to check corruption and corrupt practices before
happening with the help of all stakeholders.
The NAB officers/officials under the leadership of Chairman
NAB were determined and committed to perform their national duty
with absolute objectivity, thorough professionalism, unimpeachable
integrity and without any leanings for or against anybody, the
statement said.