National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal said on Wednesday that bringing mega corruption cases to their logical conclusion “is the bureau’s highest priority.”
He said this while presiding over a meeting of the bureau’s executive board to review progress achieved in the mega corruption cases. The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of National Accountability Bureau held at the NAB Headquarters.
Deputy Chairman NAB, Prosecutor General Accountability, Director General Accountability, NAB, Director General, Operation Division, NAB and other senior officers of NAB attended the meeting.
The bureau is policy bound to share the details of decisions made by EBM with the public from several years. The main aim of sharing decisions is not to hurt the feelings of anyone.
The inquiries, investigations are being initiated on the basis of alleged allegations and therefore the allegations must not be considered as final. The final decision about initiating proceedings against any accused is taken after knowing point of view of both sides of the picture.
The EBM decided to further examine the inquiry against the owners/ directors and others of Al Tutmish Medical Society and ongoing inquiry being conducted against Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh, former acting IG Sindh, and others in an abuse of authority case. The EBM accorded approval of closing inquiry against the officers/officials of KDA, government of Sindh in the light of the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The EBM authorised closing investigations against Dr Ahmed Nadeem Akbar former registrar, PMDC, Imran Taj General Manager, NESPAK, Aftab Ahmed Associate Engineer, Nespak,Fawad Butt Proprietor of Messers Construction Experts and others, Wali Muhammad Naij, former superintending engineer, Khairpur , Irrigation Circle, Sukkur and others, Dr Parveen Naeem Shah, Vice Chancellor, Shah Abdul Latif University and others, Manzoor Ahmed Malik former Sheet Clerk, SSP office, Jacobabad , others. EBM authorised closing inquiries against officials/ officers of Board of Revenue, Defence Housing Society, Karachi, Port Qasim Authority, Karachi Port Trust and others, Saeed Ahmed Jakhrani, former Director NARA Canal,(SEDA), Mirpur Khas, officers/ officials of Irrigation Division, Nasrat division and others due to the absence of any proof.
Chairman NAB Justice Javed Iqbal said the priority of NAB is to eradicate corruption from the country besides recovering looted money from the plunderers. By pursuing Accountability for All policy, NAB has recovered Rs 71 billion directly or indirectly in last 23 months. World Economic Forum in its recent report has lauded bureau’s performance.
NAB’s faith is corruption free Pakistan. Overall conviction ratio of NAB cases is 70 percent. NAB has filed 610 corruption references in Accountability courts in last 23 months. The bureau was striving to recover billions of rupees looted from people from 44 suspects under custody in Mudarba/ Musharka scams. Around 1,235 corruption references involving Rs 900 billion corruption are currently in different Accountability courts.
Chairman directed all director generals to take complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations within the prescribed timeframe.
