NAB to issue performance calendar every year

The National Accountability Bureau will issue a performance calendar on December 9 every year so that the people could evaluate its efforts to curb corruption, NAB Chairman Lieutenant General (R) Shahid Aziz said here Saturday.
Addressing a national conference to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day, he said issuing the calendar the bureau would renew its resolve to fight corruption more effectively.
He said concerted efforts by national anti-corruption bodies and international organisations would greatly help fight the menace. "Jointly we can achieve better results," he said. Shahid Aziz said, "Our objective this year has been to consolidate our institutional functioning, bringing greater transparency and accountability within our systems."
"We are close to success in speeding up our operations and narrowing focus on high priority areas. A number of measures have been initiated to bridle NAB to allow an environment of uninhibited endeavour for collective growth," he said. Shahid Aziz said it was generally believed that a transparent system would provide the best environment for unhindered growth.
"This is Insha Allah our next target-a focus on prevention, operation and consolidation of already commenced deterrence operations against small scale visible corruption and project inspections." The chairman thanked Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for allowing more resources for the bureau to further improve its performance. He said the anti corruption battle that has been waged for the last seven years had no precedence in the country's history.
The creation of NAB, promulgation of elaborate laws, establishment of accountability courts were landmarks in this struggle, he added. The government had also initiated substantive measures such as strengthening the institution of Principal Account Officers, creation of an internal audit mechanism, creation of procurement authority and constitution of a commission under Dr Ishrat Hussain, former State Bank governor, to curb corruption, he said.
He said the code of corporate governance including a code of ethics that had been issued by the Security and Exchange Commission was another step in the right direction it was enforced effectively. Shahid Aziz said the measures would go a long way in making the fight against corruption more efficacious, he said.