LAHORE - Bureaucrats are the backbone of every country and without an effective bureaucracy, a state would inevitably collapse.

These views were expressed by National Accountability Bureau Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry while addressing a ceremony at Civil Services Academy on Thursday.

He said that I would like to share few words from the historic speech of great Leader Qauid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah which are guiding principles for bureaucracy. While addressing civilian offices in Peshawar in April 1948,

The Quaid said: “Whichever government is formed according to the constitution, and whoever happens to be the prime minister or minister, coming into power in the ordinary course, your duty is only to serve that government loyally and morally but, at the same time, fearlessly, maintaining your high reputation, your prestige, your honor and the integrity of your service. If you start with that determination, you will make a great contribution to the building up of Pakistan of our conceptions and our dreams a glorious state and one of the greatest nations in the World.”

The NAB chief said that the menace of corruption linked to a multitude of vices. It leads to injustice, mistrust, suspicion and extremism. It creates a sense of insecurity, hopelessness and despondency. It threatens good values which have been established over centuries of civilized struggle, he added.

He said that NAB accords high priority to cases of cheating public at large which is a serious offence under NAO. Many financial scams involving plundering of common man’s hard earned income and savings have been pursued by NAB, with the goal to recover the looted money and return the same to the rightful owners.

Double Shah Scam, Cooperative Societies Scam, Fake Housing Authorities Scam & Modarabas are only a few to be named. NAB has undertaken concerted efforts to prosecute the master minds of such public frauds.

He said the present management since October 2013 has taken serious initiatives aimed that improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the Organization. He said that NAB is the focal agency for UNCAC and is a very active member of international community.

Pakistan has actively participated in the activities of UNCAC. He said that NAB alone cannot fight this war against corruption. It is a collective social responsibility. The intelligentsia and media have to play an important role.

Earlier, DG, CSA, highlighted the importance of training for Civil Servants at CSA and appreciated the efforts made by NAB in eradication of corruption from the country.

Separately, Qamar Zaman Chaudhary has said that NAB is investigating the scams of Formanites Housing Society and DHA City Lahore and money invested by Overseas Pakistanis in these projects would be reimbursed to the effected expats.

He said it while talking to a delegation of Overseas Pakistanis Commission (OPC) Punjab who met him under the leadership of Vice Chairperson Shaheen Khalid Butt and Commissioner Afzaal Bhatti. Chairman NAB said that in order to enhance cooperation between NAB Punjab and OPC, a focal person will soon be appointed in NAB Lahore Office.

He said that establishment of OPC Punjab is a welcome addition in solving the issues of Overseas Pakistanis and NAB would extend its full corporation with OPC. Speaking on this occasion Shaheen Khalid Butt and Afzaal Bhatti informed the Chairman NAB and his Team that OPC Punjab is playing a proactive role to settle the problems faced by the expats and modern IT based methods have been adopted to pursue and resolve the complaints.

They informed that as a result of the efforts made by the OPC, so far 90 houses in Eden Housing Scheme have been handed over to long awaited Overseas Pakistanis who had deposited the money for these houses some 10 years ago.

Moreover, paper less system of functioning has been introduced in OPC and all complaints of Overseas Pakistanis referred to districts are monitored electronically. During the meeting matter pertaining to establishment of facilitation center by NAB Punjab for Overseas Pakistanis to interact with Dealing/Investigation Officers and progress on the complaints referred by OPC to NAB Punjab also came under discussion.

Director General OPC Javed Iqbal Bukhari, Director Legal Raja Zubair was a part of OPC Delegation while Deputy Chairman NAB Imtiaz Tajwar, DG Operations Zahir Shah, Director Monitoring Ghulam Farooq and Additional Director Faheem Qureshi also attended the meeting.