Nomination papers: MPs may face disqualification if facts concealed: NAB chief

Chairman National Accountability Bureau Admiral Fasih Bokhari (Retd) Sunday said that after general polls, the NAB would investigate into any concealment of facts made by the election candidates in their nomination papers and the guilty ones would face disqualification.
"If someone conceals facts, it is a criminal act. Such people should not only be disqualified rather all the facilities and privileges enjoyed by him should also be taken back. After investigation, we would report the matter to the Election Commission of Pakistan for action," Bokhari said in a televised interview.
He said under scrutiny process, the NAB was currently checking whether there was any corruption case against the candidate or not but after the elections, they would investigate the credentials of all the parliamentarians to check whether there was any concealment of facts in their nomination papers.
Fasih Bokhari said that real role of NAB regarding scrutiny of the candidates would begin after the elections as it would be much easier for the Bureau to investigate the details of the 728 elected public representatives in National Assembly and provincial assemblies.
To a question, the Chairman NAB said that the Bureau has forwarded the data regarding different candidates to the Election Commission of Pakistan that would decide the fate of those involved in plea bargain, wilful default and against whom the cases have reached to finality in the courts.
He said that the information provided to ECP by NAB regarding Sharif brothers was almost identical to the one mentioned by Mian Nawaz Sharif in his nomination papers submitted to Returning Officer.
He said the regulatory mechanism in the country has almost collapsed begetting corruption in national institutions against what the National Accountability Bureau is promoting a culture of resilience.
"NAB is contemplating to widen its scope down to district level to reach out the complaints of the general public and strengthen the regulatory and accountability system in the country," Fasih Bokhari said.
He said the old mechanism of full dependence on the enforcement could not work long because more than 60 legislations on combating the corruption made in the past had failed mainly because of emphasis on enforcement. He said the accountability was not only to go after the people commit corruption and put them into jail rather there was a need to strengthen the system to prevent corruption.
"NAB has already approached the Prime Minister for getting two of its wings back including Economic Crime Wing and Anti Corruption Wing from FIA to strengthen the Bureau. He said that this would enable the Bureau to reach the district level much faster than starting from the scratches.
Chairman NAB said that when he assumed the charge, NAB was on the verge of closure as Prime Minister Gilani had also revealed on the floor of the National Assembly the government's decision to close down the NAB. Two of its important wings including Economic Crimes and Anti Corruption Wing were handed over to FIA.
However, he started restructuring and revamping of the NAB as it was working with only 28 percent of its strength. "We have recruited 260 new investigators which are being trained by the experts of FBI, European Union and other foreign countries. But in a situation like Pakistan, we need more than 8000 workforce and we are working with 1700 people," Bokhari maintained.
He said that presently the NAB was focusing on the prevention that was internationally recognised practice of accountability. "Under prevention regime, we have intervened projects and procurement worth Rs 1.5 trillion and have made the savings of Rs 200 billion from indulging into corruption," he said.
He said that NAB was actively perusing the recovery drive from the electricity defaulters who owe more than Rs 160 billion of national exchequer.
NAB has directed disconnection of electricity connections of defaulters and the officials of the distribution companies showing negligence in this regard would also be proceeded under relevant law.