ISLAMABAD - Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (R) Javed Iqbal yesterday chaired a meeting to review the performance of NAB Sukkur especially conviction made under Section 10 of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO)-1999 and under Section 25 (B) of NAO-1999 during the tenure of the present management of NAB.
During the meeting, held at the NAB headquarters here, Mirza Muhammad Irfan Baig, Director General NAB Sukkur, informed that the regional bureau has also identified theft / embezzlement of 253,551.7 metric tons wheat amounting to Rs27.8 billion out of which an amount of Rs. 19.2 billion has been recovered and handed over to the government of Sindh. This recovery was done when there was acute shortage of wheat due to less production in 2019-2020. The Chief Secretary Sindh has also issued a letter of appreciation addressed to the Chairman NAB in this regard.
The DG NAB Sukkur informed that there are total 109 RO / UF water plants in Sukkur city which were not operational but now all of them are functioning due to the efforts made by the NAB Sukkur in coordination with Public Health Engineering Department Sukkur.
During the meeting, it was informed that Accountability Court Sukkur on 25th August, 2021 announced its judgment in reference No. 01/2020, titled “State Vs Parshotam Lal” whereby the accused Parshotam Lal, Lessee of M/s Shikarpur Flour Mill, Industrial Area, District Shikarpur was convicted/sentenced for 7 years of rigorous imprisonment along with fine of Rs. 109.820 million. The accused Parshotam Lal, Lessee of M/s Shikarpur Flour Mill, Industrial Area, District Shikarpur, got issued 25,000 wheat bags against (9) nine post-dated cheques on one-month credit basis. The accused with mala fide intention submitted nine cheques with the Food Department without any balance in his bank accounts. These cheques were dishonoured. Instead of paying the amount outstanding against Parshotam Lal for 25,000 wheat bags issued to him, he absconded and avoided the process of law. Accused Parshotam Lal was arrested after the due process of law and reference was filed against him in the Accountability Court Sukkur.
The DG NAB Sukkur further informed that NAB Sukkur in pursuance of mission of the Chairman NAB regarding zero tolerance against corruption is committed to make corruption free Pakistan on the principles of merit and transparency.
During the period from 2018 to 2020, the NAB Sukkur filed 67 References in the Accountability Court Sukkur. During the said period, 32 accused persons were convicted u/s 10 of NAO, 1999 and also fine to the tune of Rs. 880 million imposed upon them. Whereas, 242 accused persons were convicted us/ 25(B) of NAO, 1999 who returned Rs. 2.77 Billion through Plea Bargain after approval by the Learned Accountability Court Sukkur.
He also informed that the Sindh High Court Bench at Sukkur CP No. 1115/2009 in its judgement ordered for recovery of forest land in the entire Sindh province from illegal occupants / encroachers. Consequently, out of land measuring 1,051,326 acres, an area of 874,163 acres has been mutated by the Revenue Department in favour of the Sindh Forest Department. Whereas, the forest land more than 250,000 acres has so far been recovered from encroachers by the NAB Sukkur. He further informed that the menace of electricity theft has also been addressed with joint efforts of SEPCO & NAB Sukkur and an amount of Rs. 7.9 billion in the year 2020 and Rs. 1.810 billion in the year 2021 has so far been recovered.
The Chairman NAB said that NAB’s anti-corruption strategy has been acknowledged by reputed national and international organizations which resulted in recovery of Rs. 535 billion from corrupt elements with overall conviction ratio of 66.8 percent during the tenure of the present management of NAB. He appreciated the performance of NAB Sukkur and hoped that it will continue performing its official duties in future with same zeal and commitment.