The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was established in 1999 as Pakistan's apex anti-corruption organisation which was assigned with the responsibility of elimination of corruption through a holistic approach of awareness, prevention and enforcement. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recovered approximately Rs 276 billion since its inception and deposited in national exchequer.
The hard work being put in by all ranks of NAB staff in an atmosphere of renewed energy and dynamism, where fight against corruption is being taken as a national duty. Increase in the number of complaints also reflects enhanced public trust in the NAB. The PILDAT report also supports the position stated above as 42 percent people trusted NAB against other related government departments. NAB under the leadership of Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, Chairman NAB, had chalked out a comprehensive National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) for eradication of corruption and corrupt practices throughout the country.
The recent reports of Transparency International also rated Pakistan in Corruption Perception Index (CPI) from 126 to 117 which is a great achievement for Pakistan due to NAB's efforts.
To create Awareness against the ill effects of corruption among the youth of Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in collaboration with Higher Education Commission (HEC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Over 10000 Character Building Societies (CBSs) have been established by NAB in universities, colleges and schools to create awareness against corruption as youths are considered a vanguard in this fight.
NAB has decided to give priority to corruption cases ie; normal cases from Rs 100-200 million, Complex Cases from Rs 500-1000 million and Mega Cases Rs 1000 million and above for mega cases. NAB has developed Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System catering the needs of all concerned having salient features of maintenance of data at each stage including complaint entry, complaint verification, inquiry, investigation, prosecution stage and record preservation of Regional Board Meetings and Executive Board Meetings including case brief, decisions made and list of participants attended the meeting with time & date and setting up of an effective Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System and ability to analyse data in qualitative and quantitative form having warnings and alarms system for violators.
NAB has devised a centralised monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance with the SOP's and prescribed timelines. The meeting reviewed the performance of NAB's field formations and expressed satisfaction that the schedule and timelines were being observed. It also evaluated the efficacy of the concept of CIT and observed that the CIT had indeed improved the quality of investigations as well as the professional capacity of Investigation officers (IOs). The Internal Accountability Mechanism (IAM), recently devised, will ensure quick and effective monitoring and evaluation of all levels of work force in NAB.
NAB has devised Internal Accountability Mechanism (IAM) within NAB with a view to weed out such elements that for reasons of inefficiency, misconduct, malpractice and violation of laid down SOPs/Rules and bring a bad name to the organisation. NAB has proceeded against its 83 officers/officials and 22 officers were punished by giving them major penalty.
NAB has established its first Forensic Science Lab (FSL) in NAB Rawalpindi/Islamabad. The Forensic Science Lab has facilities of Digital Forensics, Questioned Documents and Fingerprint Analysis. NAB has recruited 104 Investigation Officers which were trained at Police Training College Sihala on modern lines. NAB has also planned establishment of NAB's Anti-Corruption Academy at Islamabad for capacity building of NAB officers/Officials on the pattern of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy.
On the directions of Chairman NAB, the Bureau has started Awareness and Prevention Campaign besides Enforcement drive to aware people about the ill effects of corruption and arrest corrupts, proclaimed offenders and absconders for taken to task as per law across the country. NAB is mandated to carry out Awareness and Prevention functions against corruption in pursuance of section 33C NAO 1999. Under its proactive approach, NAB has been engaging different Governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations and civil society in fight against corruption. In this context following steps have been taken by NAB:-
a. NAB has proposed State Bank of Pakistan which is regulatory body of all scheduled Banks proposing that all ATM machines and cheques display/carry NAB message "Say No to Corruption" across the country in order to aware people about the ill effects of corruption. Due to NAB efforts, All banks have started displaying NAB's message "Say No to Corruption" across the country.
b.IESCO has started printing NAB message "Say No to Corruption" on 2.4 million electricity bills from February 2015.
c. NAB, in collaboration with Pakistan Post, has specially designed and formally issued a commemorative stamp with slogan "Say No to Corruption" to mark the World Anti-Corruption Day.
d. NAB, in collaboration with Islamabad Traffic Police has started printing NAB message "Say No to Corruption" on all driving licenses.
e. NAB in Collaboration with Pakistan Film Censor Board continuously being aired NAB message "Say No to Corruption" in all Cinema Houses of the country after the National Anthem. NAB's this initiative has been appreciated by the public at large in order to aware people about the ill effects of corruption.
f. Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination decided to join hands with NAB to print NAB message "Say NO to Corruption" on all cigarette packs across the country.
v.NAB has proposed Motorway Police to join hands with NAB in its awareness campaign and disseminate pamphlets carrying NAB message "Say No to Corruption" among the travellers on all motorways across the country.
w.NAB has proposed CDA to join hands with NAB in its awareness campaign and display bill boards carrying NAB message "Say No to Corruption" on the main tourist sites of Islamabad such as Daman-e-Koh, Shakar Pariyah, Zero Point and Hill on express way to Airport.
x. NAB and Islamabad Police join hands by displaying NAB message "Say No to Corruption" on all the police stations.
y. NAB message "Say No to Corruption" is being printed on all government tenders issued for publication in newspapers in Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan.
z. Standees with NAB message "Say No to Corruption" have been displayed at the entrance points of Marriott Hotel, Islamabad, Serena Hotel, Islamabad, Islamabad Airport and major shopping malls.
The Chairman NAB said that NAB strongly believes in Zero Tolerance Policy against Corruption. NAB's Anti-corruption campaign is carried widely for awareness and prevention of corruption besides Enforcement across the board. NAB hopes that joint efforts of all stakeholders can collaborate to check corruption and corrupt practices before happening with the help of all stakeholders, civil society, media and people at large and bring sustainable systematic changes to the governance structure of our country.-PR