KARACHI:To mark International Anti-Corruption Day, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi organised a seminar titled “Corruption Free Society- A Progressive Society” at Governor House on Friday.
Pakistan as other countries signatory to United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) celebrates 9th December as International Anti-Corruption day.
In order to raise awareness and strengthen preventive measures NAB Karachi held a series of lectures, declamation contests, and poster painting competitions at different Schools, Colleges and Universities falling in the jurisdiction of NAB Karachi and established Character Building Societies (CBS).
Governor Sindh, Muhammad Kamran Khan Tessori while addressing as the chief guest said that stringent anti-corruption curbs act as a major contribution to economic development with a conducive and corruption-free environment.
He observed that institutional weakness, vague policy-making and overall poor governance lead to reduced domestic and foreign investment, distorted allocation of Government expenditures which results in poor economic growth and political instability.
Terming misuse of public power and moral decay as causes of corruption in society he appreciated NAB’s efforts in the recovery of looted money from the culprits and returning it back to the national exchequer.
DG NAB Karachi, Javed Akbar Riaz, in his welcome speech, highlighted the efforts and importance of Awareness and Prevention against corruption and informed that NAB Karachi over the past few years has geared up its operations against the corrupt and achieved public confidence with its exceptional performance and investigating mega cases of corruption involving billions of rupees.
Appreciating the performance of all officers and staff of the Bureau he said that since its inception in 1999 NAB Karachi has received more than 96,000 complaints of which 2,297 inquiries and 1,176 Investigations have been authorised and 919 References have been filed.
An amount of Rs15.194 billion was recovered from cases of corruption and corrupt practices through PBs while further recoveries were made Rs 341 Billion in the form of restoration of State land, the DG NAB Karachi briefed.
In the year 2022, NAB Karachi disposed of 4,396 complaints, 26 CVs,10 inquiries, and 05 investigations. Moreover, 43 accused were arrested and 07 References have been filed in the Accountability Courts in Karachi and Hyderabad, he informed, adding that the Bureau has made direct recoveries of over Rs 430 million in the current year.
NAB (K) constituted Prevention Committees on vulnerable areas for eradication of systematic corruption through
Preventive mode, he informed adding that the committees consist of relevant stakeholders and assigned the task to draft the best possible recommendations for bringing reforms and simplifications in existing Rules and Procedures.
In this regard, recommendations prepared by NAB (K) on the Revenue and Health Department are at the implementation stage. Recommendations on Education Department, Co-operation Department and Private Housing sector are at the final stage, he further added.
At the occasion, Merit Certificates were given to officers/officials of NAB Karachi in recognition of their best performance in the year 2022. Certificates and cash prizes were also distributed among the top winner’s students of the declamation contest on an anti-corruption theme that was held in English, Urdu and Sindhi language throughout colleges of Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas Divisions.
The 3 winner students of the declamation contests namely Wajeeha Shah from Sir Syed Girls College Karachi, Owais Ali from Govt. College Kali Mori, Hyderabad, Kainat Sanjrani from Govt. Girls Degree College Hyderabad held in English, Urdu, and Sindhi Languages respectively also delivered their speeches on the occasion.
Dr. Huma Baqai, Rector, Millennium Institute of Technology and Entrepreneurship (MiTE), Muhammad Ahmed Shah, President Art Council of Pakistan, Ghulam Nabi Memon, Inspector General of Police Sindh, also spoke on the occasion and appreciated the efforts of NAB in curbing corruption.
Notables from various walks of life, senior officials of Government, and the students who won the awareness competitions also attended the Seminar.