LAHORE   -    National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal Thursday distributed cheques worth Rs1.05 billion among the victims of different housing frauds during a ceremony held at NAB Lahore.

Addressing the ceremony, the chairman said that NAB had taken the responsibility to secure the rights of affectees with full commitment. He said that the accountability process is a herculean task and a strong institution would be in better position to stamp out the corruption from society.

He said that NAB had recovered Rs864 billion since its inception, whereas, under his tenure as Chairman NAB the Bureau has, so far, recovered Rs584 billion. Talking about the query raised regarding NAB recoveries, he maintained that NAB recovery was being disbursed among the concerned affectees without causing any delay, adding that NAB had distributed more than Rs50 billion among the affectees of different housing societies.

All the recovered money was part and parcel of general public and was being returned to them, he said. NAB could not even imagine touching public money kept in its custody, moreover, NAB also remained fully concerned with ensuring self-respect of every citizens, he said. Talking about the illegal housing societies functional in towns, Javed Iqbal exclaimed that approximately 86 percent housing societies were found as illegally operating.

He advised the public to be more cautious while booking any plot, flat or house for them.

He said that NAB had never been a problem for anyone but appeared as a solution for the problems. He denied the allegations of political engineering being associated with NAB by stating that NAB was merely mandated to eliminate the menace of corruption and to recover the looted money from corrupt elements.

He said that NAB’s performance had been admired by numerous renowned global institutions.

By admiring the performance of NAB Lahore, he maintained that the regional Bureau massively contributed in the overall performance of NAB.

On the occasion, Lahore DG NAB Shahzad Saleem said that NAB Lahore had disbursed Rs15 billion among thousands of affectees, whereas, the plots, flats and houses to the tune of Rs85 billion had also been handed over to the affectees concerned.

He denied the pattern of one man show in NAB by saying that all inquiries and investigations were being properly monitored, adding that the NAB had always tried to restore public rights with full dignity.