Rs150bn recovered from corrupt elements during 2019: NAB chairman

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal on Wednesday said that the anti-graft watchdog recovered over Rs150 billion from the corrupt elements during the year 2019. A meeting presided by the NAB chairman in Islamabad today reviewed performance of the bureau during the last year. The meeting was told that NAB received a total of 51591 complaints in 2019, and 46123 of them were disposed of according to the law. However, action is underway on 13299 complaints. NAB recovered 150 billion rupees from corrupt elements during the last year and deposited the amount to the national exchequer. Appreciating overall performance of NAB in 2019, Javed Iqbal directed the directors general to take scrutiny, inquiry, and investigation into all complains to the logical end under the law within the stipulated time. On Dec 28, the Ministry of Law has issued a notification on Saturday after the approval of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment Ordinance 2019. Earlier, the NAB Amendment Ordinance 2019 has been challenged at Karachi Registry of the Supreme Court. A citizen Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi has filed a petition at Karachi Registry of the SC challenging the NAB Amendment Ordinance, 2019, promulgated by the PTI-led government through a presidential ordinance on Friday. The petitioner has made the federal government, the Ministry of Law secretary, the Cabinet Division secretaries, Ministry of Interior, Establishment Division, the NAB chairman, the NAB Director General Headquarters and others as party in the case. The petitioner said, “All citizens are equal in the constitution of Pakistan, the amended ordinance is violation of the constitution and the fundamental rights of citizens.” The application pleaded with the apex court to immediately order suspending the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, while claiming that the amendment was against Article 25 of the Constitution, and an attempt to protect the corruption of ministers and government officials. Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi signed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment Ordinance 2019 as the traders and bureaucracy has been freed from the influence of NAB.