Operational strategy: NAB chief chairs meeting, issues directives

ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal chaired a meeting at NAB headquarters on Thursday to review the operational strategy of the bureau.

The chairman directed NAB officers to clearly write the purpose of call-up notices to the person as an accused or witness. In case the person is being called as an accused, NAB clearly writes in call-up notices the details of the alleged case against him including the details of charges against the accused as knowing about the details of the charges and accusations are the right of an accused.

The NAB chairman affirmed that elimination of corruption was the top priority and directed the bureau to bring all the investigations and inquiries to a logical end.

The bureau’s executive board approved investigations against allegations of embezzlement against the Federal Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, officials of Pakistan Railways Sukkur division and others for alleged misappropriations in the installment of the computer-based interlocking system from Tando Adam to Rohri Sindh.

The accountability watchdog also approved investigation against member National Assembly Nawab Wassan and others for allegedly making assets beyond means.

The NAB will also verify a complaint against Law Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi, members of KPK Assembly Zia Ullah Bangish, Amjad Afridi and officers of District Education Office Kohat for allegedly approved illegal appointments of 111 persons in District Education Office Kohat and making assets beyond means.

The NAB chairman directed the officers to ensure self-respect of the witnesses as well the accused and to record their statement at the given time. The visiting witnesses should be provided complete security in the NAB office, he added.

He also directed that the diary of each case be written on daily basis.

He further said that the combined investigation (CIT) would ensure that the case would be concluded in the light of the collected evidence, the statement of the accused, and the witness as per law, and that too, within the prescribed time limits. NAB should not pend the investigations, verification, and inquiries for years, he added.