ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Qamar Zaman Chaudhry on Wednesday said an effective accountability mechanism was important for investment, economic growth and stability of social order.
Chairing a meeting to review progress of NAB at NAB headquarters, he said NAB was a complaint-driven organization and believed in zero corruption.
The NAB has operational methodology whic comprises three stages for proceedings of cases, complaint verification, inquiry and investigation.
He said the figures of complaints, inquiries and investigations were almost double as compared to the same period of 2015 to 2016.
The comparative figures for the latest two and half years were indicative of the hard work, being put in by all ranks of NAB staff in an atmosphere of renewed energy and dynamism, where fight against corruption was being taken as a national duty.
Increase in the number of complaints also reflected enhanced public trust in the NAB. The PILDAT in its report supported this stated position as 42% people trusted NAB against 30 per cent for police and 29 per cent for government officials.
The recent report of Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has improved by nine points.
Pakistan was role model for SAARC countries in eradication of corruption and made first Chairman of SAARC countries Anti-Corruption Forum which was a great achievement for Pakistan due to NAB’s efforts.
The World Economic Forum and Mishal Pakistan according to Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum rated Pakistan from 126 to 122.
He said that starting with the year 2014 which can be called basically a year of re-invigoration of NAB, they have moved ahead with new zeal and effort.
Through detailed introspection and analysis of organizational weaknesses, overhaul of procedures and business processes, all pillars of the organization i.e. Operations, Prosecution, Human Resource Development and Awareness and Prevention, have been reactivated.
The intervention by NAB has acted as a catalyst, as transparency was a prerequisite for promoting investment and economic growth. Since its inception, NAB had adopted the enforcement-based approach in its fight against corruption.
Besides enforcement, special focus was therefore being given to awareness and Prevention activities to educate the people at large about ill-effects of corruption.
He said that youth was asset and future of Pakistan. NAB has laid special emphasis on youth and more than 42000 character building societies (CBS) have been set up in universities and colleges, he added.
He said this initiative of NAB proved very successful in order to make students aware about the ill-effects of corruption. More and more universities and colleges were joining hands with NAB in its country wide campaign against corruption, he added.
NAB has decided to establish at least 50000 CBS throughout the country during 2017.
He said NAB has initiated serious efforts to combat corruption with the realization that eradication of corruption was national a duty. APP
