Against the staggering amount of billions of rupees, eaten away in corruption and bank loan defaults, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recovered over Rs 217 billion by the end of 2006, depositing it into national kitty, according to NAB.
Putting its foot down, the Bureau effectively investigated and prosecuted thousands of cases involving offences of corruption and corrupt practices committed by holders of public offices or private persons and recovered misappropriated money and assets whether located in Pakistan or stashed across the border.
Reticently focusing on mega cases of corruption and misappropriation of money without any projection, the National Accountability Bureau made accumulated recoveries of Rs 114.870 billion in bank loan default, Rs 21.092 billion in 'Voluntary Return' (VR) and 'Plea Bargain' (PB), Rs 9.210 billion in indirect recoveries, Rs 60.470 billion in rescheduling and restructuring of bank loans and Rs 11.530 billion in court fines.
NAB, created under the NAO 1999 as successor organisation of Ehtesab Bureau, has the jurisdiction to initiate proceedings in matters where state money, government properties, funds of financial institutions or money belonging to members of the public has been defaulted. The word `Corruption' has its origin in Latin verb 'corruptus', meaning 'to break'. Literally, it means a broken object, and conceptually, corruption is a form of behaviour which departs from ethics, morality, tradition, law and civic virtue. The menace of corruption has links to a multitude of vices.
Its roots are linked to injustice, mistrust, suspicion, extremism and terrorist activities. The twin menace of corruption and poverty are closely interlinked. A surge in one menace has a direct bearing on the other. The ultimate victim of corruption and poverty is the human dignity itself.
An anti-corruption agency in Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is responsible to effectively investigate and prosecute cases involving offences of corruption and corrupt practices, committed by a holder of public office or a private person while ensuring that misappropriated money and assets are recovered.
Keeping in view the objective to serve the public and root out the menace of corruption, NAB received 13,722 complaints during 2006, making a total of 17,027 complaints, including the backlog.
According to official sources, out of these, 14,255 (83.5 percent) complaints were processed and 2802 (16.5 percent) are under process. As many as 3383 complaints were received by NAB Punjab, 677 by NAB Headquarters, 4506 at Sindh, 2433 at NWFP, 616 at Balochistan and 2107 at Rawalpindi.
A complaint is converted into inquiry after its verification. High priority is given to cases involving interest of the public at large and where corruption in excess of Rs 100 million is detected.
During the year 2006, 728 fresh inquires were authorised by NAB, thus raising the figure to 1882 (including the backlog). Out of this number, 890 (47 percent) were finalised, leading to closure and formal investigation of cases, whereas 992 (53 percent) inquires are still under process.
The investigation stage plays an important role in the accountability process by setting a pace for prosecution. During 2006, NAB authorised 292 new investigations, thus making a total of 701 investigations, including the backlog.
Out of this number, 241 (34.4 percent) investigations were finalised, while remaining 460 (65.6 percent) are under progress. There have been 75 cases of 'Plea Bargain' and 'Voluntary Return' during 2006, as a result of which, an amount of Rs 1398.064 million has been agreed for payment by the accused, out of which Rs 930.658 million have already been recovered. Sources said that NAB has placed 184 accused persons on Exit Control List (ECL) through Ministry of Interior during 2006, putting the number of total persons on ECL as on December 31, 2006 to 654. Out of these 184 persons, 68 were government servants, eight were politicians, five ex-armed forces and 103 were businessmen and others.
Out of 654 persons of ECL till December 31, 2006, 286 are government servants, 32 are politicians, six ex-armed forces and 330 are businessmen and others. NAB issued warrants of 165 accused persons during the year under review, out of which 123 were arrested while other 42 accused are still at large.
Combined with the number of persons at large of the previous years, the total comes to 345. Cooperative scam is the biggest scam in Pakistan's history. In gross violation of co-operative Acts and banking laws, over 100 co-operative societies, operating between 1978 and 1990 deprived more than 250,000 depositors of their Rs 1300 million (the deposited amount).
The President General Pervez Musharraf entrusted the task to NAB in December 2000 to recover the looted money from the culprits. NAB Punjab not only got the culprits punished severely, but also recovered about Rs 6000 million from these looters.
It was for the first time in the history of Pakistan that cheaters have been punished severely and most of the looted money has been recovered and paid back to majority of the affectees.
Most of the affectees have been paid as per approved policies, and this process in now reaching its culmination stage. With the approval of National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) in 2002, two new functions of awareness and prevention were also entrusted to NAB in addition to enforcement. Later, anti-corruption operations and Economic Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were transferred to NAB along with manpower, budget and workload.
With the merger, prosecution in the court of special judges is being conducted by special prosecutors appointed by the Chairman in exercise of powers delegated by the Federal Government. On their commendations of regional NABs, cases of mega corruption have been transferred to Accountability Courts and, where necessary, further investigation was authorised to supplement the cases with additional material evidence.
During 2006, NAB filed 188 references in the Accountability Courts, making a total of 478 cases including the cases already pending in the trial courts. Increasing amounts are being realised every year on account of recovery of corruption money and Rs 930.658 million have been deposited in the government treasury during the year under review.
Corruption in government spending leads to serious reduction in impact of development programs but through the performance and the commitment of NAB it can be hoped that expectations of public would be fulfilled and Pakistani society would be corruption-free at one stage.
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