ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau has arrested 226 accused in different corruption cases and it also approved to conduct 55 complaint verification, 39 inquiries and 33 investigations as per law during the last five months.
The NAB chairman on Tuesday chaired a meeting to review performance of NAB at the NAB Headquarters.
The deputy chairman, Prosecutor General Accountability and senior officers were also present in the meeting.
The NAB chairman said that after assuming the office on October 10, 2017, the NAB had filed 197 corruption references in relevant accountability courts.
The Accountability Courts had sentenced 27 accused as per the law, which shows the NAB’s excellent performance in a short span of five months due to continued efforts and hard work put in by all ranks of the NAB officials across the board, he said.
The NAB chairman vowed to eliminate corruption at all cost and to change the culture of the bureau by concentrating on ensuring accountability of the corrupt without any discrimination.
The NAB was conducting complaint verification, inquiries and investigations of the cases on a scientific basis by ensuring merit and transparency, he said.
The NAB is also strictly adhering to completing the investigations of cases within the prescribed period of 10 months.
He said corruption was a curse, which was a major hurdle in the prosperity and progress of the country.
The NAB chairman said that the bureau’s officers had adopted a policy of zero tolerance for elimination of corruption without caring about the status of the accused.
The NAB officers consider across the board accountability as their national duty, he said.
He directed all officers of the NAB to expedite the ongoing complaint verification, inquiries and investigations including mega corruption cases on merit as per law and on the basis of solid evidence in order to eradicate corruption from the country. The NAB chairman reiterated that the NAB did not believe in taking revenge from anyone.
The NAB officers are working as per law and in accordance with their mandate, he said.
NAB TO INVESTIGATE ERRA,
FOREST OFFICIALS
Staff Reporter from Peshawar adds: The National Accountability Bureau Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa authorised inquiries against officials of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority and Forest Development Corp, Balakot as well as Israr Gul, a councillor belonging to district Nowshera, in corruption cases.
The inquiries were authorised in the NAB Regional Board Meeting chaired by Farmanullah Khan, Director General NAB KP, at Peshawar. The meeting was attended by directors, deputy prosecutor general, case officers and other concerned officials.
The board authorised inquiry against employees of ERRA and contractor regarding corruption and embezzlement of funds. The subjects were alleged to have embezzled millions of rupees funds in connection with 22-kilometre long road funded by Islamic Development Bank. Further, the approved map in PC-I and actual map was in contradiction to each other, a statement issued on Tuesday said.
Another inquiry was authorised against Israr Gul, councillor union council Dheri Katikhel in district Nowshera. He is alleged to have illegally occupied government land and constructed houses. He also illegally occupied land of a Christian graveyard in Dheri Katikhel, NAB said.
Meanwhile, another inquiry was initiated against Muhammad Zaid, deputy forest manager, Forest Development Corporation, Balakot and others regarding corruption. The accused is alleged to have sold department’s land to a private person and road construction machinery in complete violation of rules. Furthermore, the accused has also illegally sold thousands feet of timber, NAB said.
Another Inquiry was authorised against officers of Revenue Department, Dera Ismail Khan, regarding corruption. The subjects were alleged to have fraudulently mutated three kanals land of Municipal Committee, D.I. Khan in favour of an individual.