NAB succeeded in conviction of 1,405 accused during four years

NAB Chairman said that due to vigorous prosecution of NAB, 1405 accused persons were convicted.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has succeeded in making convictions of 1,405 corrupt persons and recovering Rs 539 billion from their possession during the tenure of Justice Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB from October 10, 2017 till Dec 31, 2021 due to vigorous prosecution.

A meeting chaired by NAB Chairman Justice Javed Iqbal to review the performance of NAB especially convictions made in last four years, under Section 10 of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO)-1999 and under Section 25 (b) of NAO-1999, was told that the effective National Anti Corruption Strategy and Accountability for All policy of NAB have started yielding remarkable excellent results as compared to previous years.

The meeting was informed that 10 accused persons were convicted in 2021 till Dec 31, 2021 by Accountability Courts Rawalpindi/Islamabad on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Rawalpindi.

Similarly, in the year 2020, 13 accused persons, in the year 2019, 09 accused persons, while in the year 2018 – 20 accused persons were convicted by Accountability Courts under section 10 of NAO-1999.

It was further informed that 24 accused persons were convicted by different Accountability Courts Rawalpindi/Islamabad during 2021, through vigorous prosecution of NAB Rawalpindi under section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

Similarly 21 accused persons were convicted in the year 2020 – 23 persons were convicted in year 2019, while in the year 2018, 08 accused persons were convicted by different Accountability Courts under section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

During the meeting, it was informed that 7 persons were convicted in the year 2021, on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Lahore in Accountability Courts, Lahore under section 10 of NAO-1999.

Similarly during the year 2020, 12 accused persons, in the year 2019, 03 accused persons, in the year 2018, 28 accused persons, while in the year 2017, 12 corrupt elements were convicted by learned Accountability Courts under section 10 of NAO-1999.

The meeting was informed that 23 accused persons were convicted by learned Accountability Courts, Lahore during 2021 on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Lahore under Section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

In year 2020, NAB Lahore got 26 accused persons convicted, in the year 2019, 59 accused persons and similarly in the year 2018, 62 whereas in the year 2017 from Oct 10, 2017 to Dec 31, 2017 – 13 accused persons were convicted by different Accountability Courts under section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

DG Operations informed that during 2021, 53 accused persons were convicted by different Accountability Courts of Karachi on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Karachi under section 10 of NAO-1999.

In the year 2020, 24 accused persons, in the year 2019, 56 accused persons, similarly in the year 2018, 72 accused persons while from October 10 to 31 December 2017, 13 accused persons were convicted by different Accountability Courts under section 10 of NAO-1999. DG Operations further informed that during 2021, 23 accused persons were convicted by different Accountability Courts of Karachi on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Karachi under section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

Similarly in the year 2020, 32 accused persons were convicted, in the year 2019, 94 accused persons, 44 accused persons in the year 2018, while from October 10, 2017 to Dec 31, 2017, 53 accused persons were convicted by different learned Accountability Courts under section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

During the meeting, it was informed that NAB Sukkur during the year 2021, 14 accused persons have been convicted by Accountability Court, Sukkur on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Sukkur under section 10 of NAO-1999.

Similarly during the year 2020, 04 accused persons, in the year 2019, 10 accused persons, in the year 2018, 16 accused persons, while in the year 2017 from Oct 10, 2017 till Dec 31, 2017, 26 accused persons were convicted by Accountability Court Sukkur under section 10 of NAO-1999.

During the meeting, it was further informed that during the year 2021, 43 accused persons from Accountability Court, Sukkur on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Sukkur under Section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

In the year 2020, 82 accused persons, in the year 2019, 112 accused persons, in the year 2018, 55 accused persons and similarly in the year 2017 from Oct 10 to Dec 31, 2017, 41 accused persons were convicted by Accountability Court Sukkur under section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

During the meeting, it was informed that during the year 2021, as many as 6 accused persons were convicted by Accountability Court, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Similarly, during the year 2020, 05 accused persons, in the year 2019, 06 accused persons, while in the year 2018, 25 accused persons while in the year 2017 from Oct 10 to Dec 31, 2017 – 5 accused persons were convicted by different Accountability Courts under section 10 of NAO-1999.

DG Operations further informed that during 2021, 02 accused persons were convicted by different Accountability Courts Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under section 25(b) of NAO-1999, similarly in year 2020, 06 accused persons, in the year 2019, 06 accused persons, while in the year 2018, 08 accused persons while in the year 2017 from Oct 10 to Dec 31, 2017 – 20 accused persons were convicted by different learned Accountability Courts under section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

During the meeting, it was further informed that during the year 2021, 16 accused persons in by Accountability Courts, Balochistan on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Balochistan under section 10 of NAO-1999.

Similarly in the year 2020, 03 accused persons, in the year 2019, 04 accused persons, while in the year 2018, 04 accused persons while in the year 2017 from Oct 10 to Dec 31, 2017 – 1 accused person was convicted by Accountability Courts, Balochistan under section 10 of NAO-1999. It was further informed at the meeting that in the year 2021 – 1 accused persons, in the year 2020, 2 accused persons while in the year 2018, 2 accused persons were convicted by learned Accountability Courts, Balochistan under section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

During the meeting, it was further informed that during 2021, 04 accused persons were convicted by Accountability Court, Multan on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Multan under section 10 of NAO-1999.

Similarly during the year 2020, 12 accused persons, in the year 2019, 03 accused persons, in the year 2018, 07 accused persons, while in the year 2017 from Oct 10 to Dec 31, 2017, 03 accused persons were convicted by learned Accountability Court, Multan under section 10 of NAO-1999.

During the meeting, it was further informed that NAB Multan in the year 2020 got convicted 02 accused persons by learned Accountability Court, Multan on the basis of solid evidence through vigorous prosecution of NAB Multan under Section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

Similarly in the year 2019, 01 accused persons, in the year 2018, 10 accused persons, while in the year 2017 from Oct 10 to Dec 31, 2017, 02 accused persons were convicted by learned Accountability Court Multan under section 25(b) of NAO-1999.

Justice Javed Iqbal has said that NAB is committed to bring corrupt elements especially big fish to justice on the basis of solid documentary evidence as per law. He said that logical conclusion of mega corruption cases is the top most priority of NAB. NAB has adopted a Combined Investigation Team (CIT) policy in order to benefit from the collective wisdom of senior supervisory officers which is lending quality in conduct of inquiries and investigations.

He said NAB is the focal institution of Pakistan under the UN Convention against Ccorruption (UNCAC). NAB is Chairman of SAARC Anti-Corruption Forum as NAB is considered a role model organization in SAARC countries due to its excellent results.

NAB Chairman said that due to vigorous prosecution of NAB, 1405 accused persons were convicted by various Accountability Courts of the country from Oct 10, 2017 to Dec 31, 2021 besides recovering Rs 539 billion directly and indirectly from corrupt elements with conviction ratio of 66% which is a record achievement as compared to other organizations which shows a commitment and dedication of NAB officers towards performance of their national responsibilities in eradication of corruption from the country.

He said that NAB’s anti corruption strategy has proved very successful which has been lauded by reputed national and international organizations like Transparency International, Pakistan, World Economic Forum, PILDAT and Mishal Pakistan.

The meeting was attended by Zahir Shah, Deputy Chairman NAB, Syed Asghar Haider, Prosecutor General Accountability (PGA), Masood Alam Khan, DG Operations, other senior officers of NAB. All Director General (DG’s), Regional Bureaus of NAB attended the meeting via video link.