ISLAMABAD - National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal has said that mobile phone companies were allegedly evading Rs400 billion in taxes to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) annually.

According to a statement issued here on Monday, he called improving tax collection system of the FBR. “Pakistan is investors-friendly country and the best country for foreign investment and we should try utmost for collecting taxes for protecting our national interests as per the law,” the Nab chief said. He said that the potential tax was not being allegedly collected and deposited in the national exchequer by the mobile phone companies as per reports.

The NAB chairman said that the anti-graft body has seven regional bureaus headed by director generals who have already been directed to ensure resolving peoples’ corruption-related complaints as per the law. “The complainants must also be informed about the status of their complaints,” he said adding that strict action should be taken against those NAB officials who call again and again to the innocent people unlawfully and reopen closed inquiries and investigations.

Earlier, he said that the NAB was determined to perform its national duty to eradicate corruption from the country as its elimination was the voice of the nation. He said that NAB will continue its endeavours to eliminate corruption by pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against the corrupt and would adhere to the timeframe to file references in courts within 10 months after receiving complaints.

He said that the NAB has 76 percent conviction ratio which would be improved by ensuring transparency, merit, presenting sufficient evidence and flawless investigations to conclude mega and white-collar cases as per the law. “With effective efforts, corrupt would be brought to justice and looted money of innocent people in various cases would be recovered and will be deposited to the national exchequer,” he said.

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