ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal on Wednesday said the bureau was taking action against the “untouchables” who had remained in government in the past.

“Action is being taken against the untouchables as per law,” Justice Iqbal said during a meeting with Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) president Mir Naveed Baloch at the NAB headquarters.

The NAB chairman said these “untouchables were now being questioned about their illegal actions, misuse of authority, assets beyond known sources of income, money laundering and the loss they inflicted on the national exchequer”.

He said the anti-graft watchdog was striving to eradicate corruption from society without paying any heed to pressure from the powerful.

Plans to visit Gwadar to determine factual position of illegal housing societies

He said NAB did not take direct action in bank default cases; instead the State Bank of Pakistan referred cases to the bureau.

“Banks act against businessmen in case of default,” he added.

Illegal societies in Gwadar

The anti-graft watchdog has taken notice of illegal housing societies in the port city of Gwadar that had caused a loss of millions of rupees to the national kitty.

“NAB has taken notice of the alleged corruption and irregularities in the allotment of industrial and commercial plots by the Gwadar Industrial Estate Development Authority,” he said, adding that the authority had jeopardised economic development in the province.

“Gwadar is the gateway to Pakistan’s development and economic activities there will lead to prosperity in Balochistan and Pakistan,” Mr Iqbal said, adding that provision of legal investment opportunities to investors was a prerequisite for progress in the region.

The NAB chairman said illegal housing societies robbed people by posting alluring advertisements despite having no or little land, adding that he would visit Gwadar and receive briefings on the spot to find out the factual position about such societies.

He said the bureau had great respect for the business community which was playing a vital role in the economic development of the country.

The chairman said special desks had been established at the NAB headquarters and its regional offices to facilitate the business community and address their complaints as per rules. He said the country was embroiled in debt and nobody knew where the money was spent.

The economy is in a shambles with no beds in hospitals and students being denied admissions to educational institutions, he said, adding that NAB was pursuing cases of people who did not have a penny in the 1980s, but owned multi-storey buildings today.

“A bike rider had amassed wealth and now owns towers in Dubai,” he added.

The NAB chairman said investigating white collar crime was a challenging task as the crime was committed in one city while the property existed elsewhere.

However, the NAB officers were working with the realisation that eradication of corruption was a national duty, he added.

Earlier, Mir Naveed Baloch apprised the NAB chairman of the problems being faced by Gwadar’s business community.

He appreciated the bureau’s efforts for addressing problems of the businessmen as per law and assured Justice Iqbal of his full support.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2020