The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has recovered an amount of Rs 1.4 billion out of total Rs 2.05 billion that has been agreed for payment by the accused through plea bargaining in 2007, says NAB annual report.
The NAB has also recovered an amount of Rs 1.84 billion through settlement in bank default cases last year, says the report a copy of which has been obtained by Business Recorder on Tuesday.
According to the report, NAB has achieved an overall conviction rate of 50 percent in the accountability courts. However, acquittal rate of 27 percent in the trial courts is indicative of the fact that quality of investigation and professionalism of investigation officers of NAB deserves more attention.
As many as 103 prosecution cases have been filed in Punjab in 2007, out of which 16 people were convicted, 12 accused were acquitted, 18 cases were withdrawn and 46 cases were disposed off. The remaining cases are still in the courts.
Out of the 87 cases filed in Sindh, there were only three cases of conviction, four cases of acquittal, one of withdrawal, and 8 cases of disposal. The remaining are still pending.
In NWFP, according to the report, 42 cases were registered out of which, 17 were convicted, three were acquitted, one was withdrawn and 20 stood disposed off.
In Balochistan, the number of cases registered in 2007 was 21, out of which 7 persons were convicted, two cases were withdrawn, and nine cases were disposed off. Seven cases registered in the NAB headquarters in Islamabad in 2007 are still pending.
The NAB Punjab received 3,117 complaints in 2007. The highest number of complaints (1,795) received against the government servants. As many as 175 complaints were received against politicians and others, 465 against businessmen and six against ex-armed forces personnel. Some 676 complaints were received against others in Punjab.
The number of complaints received by NAB Sindh was at 4,078 in 2007. 1,775 complaints were received against government servants, 31 against politicians, 111 against businessmen, and 1,103 against others. In the NWFP, the NAB received 2,636 complaints out of which 1,896 were against the government servants, 79 against politicians, 66 against businessmen, 10 against ex-armed personnel and 585 against others.
In Balochistan, a total of 1,183 complaints were received in 2007. As many as, 230 complaints were received against government servants, 426 against politicians and 527 complaints were found duplicate. During 2007, NAB filed 315 references in the accountability courts, reaching a total of 720 cases, including the cases already pending in the trial courts. Out of total cases, 282 appeals were made in High Courts and 43 in the Supreme Court.
According to the report, 135 appeals were accepted by the High Courts, and 18 by the Supreme Court. Total number of appeals dismissed in favour of NAB was 159 in the High Courts and 40 in the Supreme Court.