Corruption is mother of all evils which is one of the major hurdles in the progress and prosperity of Pakistan. It is heartening to not that Country’s apex Anti-Corruption Organization NAB is a role model not only for the country but also for entire SAARC countries. Owing to outstanding performance of NAB, Pakistan’s corruption perception Index (CPI) has been decreased from 175 position to 116. Pakistan is the only country whose corruption perception index is persistently on declining trend. The performance of NAB has been lauded by SAARC countries including India. NAB had been unanimously elected as chairman of SAARC Anti-Corruption Forum which is the great achievement of Pakistan due to NAB’s efforts.
Pakistan and China have already inked a memorandum of understanding MoU for eradication of corruption. Pakistan and China would jointly work for ensuring transparency in China Pakistan economic coordination CPEC project. NAB is only anti-corruption institution which is playing vital role in recovering the looted money from culprit. NAB during the last 2018-19 has recovered Rs 71 billion through direct and indirect way and deposited in national exchequer last year. The recovery made possible to return to hundreds of victims and some government departments. This reflects excellent performance of NAB. The reports of renowned national and international organizations like PILDAT, Mishal Pakistan, Transparency International Pakistan and World Economic Forum also confirms excellent performance of NAB.
NAB was established in 1999 to eradicate corruption and recover looted money and deposit it in national exchequer. The jurisdiction of NAB is the whole Pakistan. NAB’s Headquarters in Islamabad whereas its eight regional offices are located at Karachi, Lahore Quetta Peshawar Rawalpindi Sukkur Multan and Gilgit-Baltistan. NAB under the dynamic leadership of Justice (r) Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB has reviewed and further improved NAB’s National Anti-Corruption Strategy comprising of awareness, prevention and enforcement which has been widely acknowledged as effective strategy for elimination of corruption. Today, more than 1210 corruption references of NAB are under trial in Accountability courts of the country. Chairman NAB has ordered filing of early hearing pleas in various accountability courts, so that Rs 900 billion could be recovered from corrupt elements and deposited in national exchequer. NAB since its inception has recovered Rs. 326 billion and its overall conviction ratio in accountability court is about 70 percent which is much higher than the other anti-corruption establishments in Pakistan.
NAB has prescribed 10 months’ timeframe for logical conclusion of mega corruption cases. Pakistan is the only country in the world who has prescribed 10 months’ time frame for logical conclusion of mega corruption white collar cases. Justice (r) Javed Iqbal has ordered inquiry in Multan metro project and alleged corruption in 56 public limited companies in Punjab. He has also taken notice of corruption in allotment of Industrial and commercial plots allotment by Gwadar Industrial and Estate Development Authority. He is determined to make investments in Gwadar Balochistan safe.
The NAB has devised grading system to judge annual performance of NAB officials. Under grading system the performance of regional bureaus of NAB is scrutinized every year. Regional bureaus are being informed about their merits and demerits under the Grading system. They are also being directed to overcome their shortcomings. Positive results of grading system are pouring in. NAB has also introduced an effective monitoring and evaluation system. Under this system complaint number is being affixed at each complaint which helps maintaining the record and proper monitoring and evaluation of performance.
Chairman NAB has himself decided to listen people’s grievances on last Thursday of each month which proved very successful and he has ordered all regional bureaus of NAB to also listen people’s grievances on every last Thursday of each month. The regional bureaus have also been directed to ensure disposal of case in mandatory ten months period. NAB has also established a complaint cell at each regional office. CIT system has been established to make the workings of investigation officers more effective. Senior officers have been included in CIT to prevent any influence.
NAB has setup more than 50 thousand Character building societies in various colleges and universities in order to aware student and youth about the ill effects of corruption at an early age. NAB has signed MoU with HEC in this regard. NAB has established a forensic laboratory in Islamabad for scrutinizing documents and fingerprints etc. The LAB not only saves time but also ensures secrecy and quality. NAB has also launched an awareness campaign with the slogan” NAB’s Faith, Corruption free Pakistan” throughout the country. Video messages are also being aired in cinema houses and various channels and mobile messages against corruption are also send to people with help of cellular companies at the eve of World Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, every year.
The Business Community and Bureaucracy have shown their full confidence upon NAB as NAB is business friendly department and considered that business community is backbone of the development of Pakistan. That’s why Chairman NAB has decided that in future NAB will not initiate cases related to sales tax and income tax. The Business Community lauded the efforts of NAB and shown full confidence upon NAB under the leadership of Chairman NAB. Similarly, NAB has great regard for bureaucracy. Chairman NAB has addressed large gatherings of bureaucracy in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar where he assured that self-respect of every person will be ensured and ample opportunity will be provided to bureaucracy and other persons to prove their innocence as per law which was appreciated by bureaucracy. Chairman NAB has directed all regional bureaus to multiply efforts for arrest of corrupt elements especially absconders and proclaimed offenders. NAB has also issued requests of Mutual Legal Assistance to various countries for provision of information of accused persons etc. as per law as NAB is the focal person organization under United Nations Conventions against corruption (UNCAC). NAB under the dynamic leadership of Justice (r) Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB has been rejuvenated and geared up to the expectations of the nation for corruption-free Pakistan.
