Pakistan, China have joined hands for transparency in CPEC: NAB chief

Islamabad: Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice Javed Iqbal (retd) has said that Pakistan and China had joined hands to ensure transparency in the ongoing China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in Pakistan

He mentioned that NAB was the focal institute of Pakistan under United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and also the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) anti-corruption forum Chairman.

In a message, Iqbal contended that Pakistan was the only country that has signed a memorandum of understanding with China to fight corruption.

“Pakistan and China are working together to ensure transparency in the ongoing China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in Pakistan. NAB is the only institution in the country which since its inception has recovered (Pakistani) Rs 864 billion from corrupt elements,” he added.

Iqbal maintained that SAARC countries had lauded NAB’s performance. “Transparency International Pakistan, World Economic Forum, Global Peace Canada, PILDAT, Mashal Pakistan has also appreciated NAB’s efforts whereas as per Gilani & Gallup survey, 59 percent of people have expressed confidence in NAB. NAB has distributed Rs 25 billion among the affectees of illegal housing societies. NAB officers consider eradication of corruption as their national obligation while that have also devised three pronged strategy to eliminate corruption,” he elaborated.

Iqbal said NAB had been acknowledged as having the most effective anti corruption strategy. “NAB has introduced a Combine Investigation Team (CIT) system in order to benefit from the experienced and collective wisdom of senior supervisory officers,” he remarked.

Iqbal reminded that the NAB has established its own Pakistan Training and Research academy, which was imparting specialized training to investigation officers on modern lines in order to conduct investigations of cases of money laundering and white collar crimes besides the establishment of the state-of-the-art Forensic Science Laboratory in NAB Rawalpindi for scrutinizing documents and fingerprints, analysis of digital data etc.

“This has increased investigation standards. NAB has established a money laundering cell at its headquarters. NAB has no affiliation with any political party, group or individual. It has affiliations with state of Pakistan. The incumbent leadership of NAB has recovered record Rs 584 billion. During current leadership the accountability courts have convicted 1,504 suspects due to rigorous persuasion of NAB,” he underscored.