National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said on Saturday that the bureau’s top priority was to compensate those affected by scams in the real estate and banking and finance sectors.
He made these remarks, while addressing a ceremony at the NAB headquarters.
The NAB chairman said that the bureau’s officials were working diligently to solve all cases involving housing, banking and mudarba/musharka scams as well as willful loan defaults, so that the embezzled funds could be recovered and returned to those affected by the scams.
He said that Rs.110 million recovered in various cases were returned to 809 people at a ceremony on Saturday. He said that similar ceremonies were held at NAB Peshawar , Lahore and Karachi officies where billions of rupees recovered in different cases were returned to the affected people.
The bureau has so far distributed Rs.296 billion among different departments, he said, adding that the NAB was firmly abiding by the Accountability for All policy.
In a statement, the bureau maintained that 226 accused have been apprehended during the current chairman’s tenure, while corruption references have been filed against 217 persons in the seven-month period.
“Special teams were constituted to nab the corrupt persons. 25 proclaimed offenders and absconders have been arrested in the last seven months. Cases have also been filed against the arrested persons in the respective accountability courts.”
The NAB chairman was quoted as saying that he intended to convene a meeting of representatives of the development authorities in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Karachi to chalk out a joint strategy against bogus housing societies. He said the bureau would also work to raise awarenesss among the public about illegal housing and cooperative societies so that they could keep their investments safe.
He said NAB did not have any concern with elections. “The bureau works in accordance with its law and it will continue to work as per the law.” He said that NAB was also conducting complaint verifications, inquiries and investigations.
“In case of lack of incriminating evidence, NAB closes the case on merit as it does not believe in taking revenge, being a transparent and merit based organisation. NAB believes across the board accountability against corrupt sans caring about their position or status.”
Published in Daily Times, May 27th 2018.
