PESHAWAR – National Accountability Bureau Chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal on Tuesday said that Rs487 billion were recovered by the anti-corruption watchdog from influential individuals in a period of three years.
He said Rs Rs2.5 billion were recovered from a housing scheme by NAB Lahore and distributed among the affectees.
Addressing a function in Peshawar, he said more than 940 references are under-trial in the courts. Chairman NAB said the government believes in transparency of accountability.
Justice (r) Javed Iqbal while referring to criticism of opposition parties said that closing down NAB would only benefit the elite. He said NAB had always been the subject of a nefarious propaganda and allegations were levelled against it. This is because none had ever imagined that someone would ask them about their wealth.
The chief also questioned that should NAB be closed only because it asked people from where they acquired billions of rupees from. The NAB chairman said when persons suspected of misappropriating huge sums of money were questioned about them, their first response was accusing the bureau of “intiqami karwai” (revengeful acts). Justice (r) Javed Iqbal said he had spent all his life in Balochistan and he was not familiar with most people whose cases were currently being heard. “So there is no question of personal revenge,” he added.
The NAB chairman said he was also accused by critics of having political affiliations, adding that he wasn’t aware what the term actually referred to.
He said his personal interest and that of NAB is only with Pakistan. “Closing down NAB will only benefit the elite or those millionaires who wanted to become billionaires but incidentally due to NAB that dream couldn’t be fulfilled.
Follow the PNI Facebook page for the latest news and updates.
