'NAB continues work despite absence of Chairman'

  • October 4, 2013, 7:46 pm
  • Business News
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ISLAMABAD, October 4 (Online): Deputy Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Saeed Ahmad Sargana Friday said that the prevalent impression about NAB that in the absence of a sitting chairman, NAB and all its officers are sitting idle is incorrect.

“There is no doubt that the national accountability ordinance (NAO) empowers only the chairman to take cognizance of fresh cases and initiate actions against the accused”, he said.

He was talking at convocation ceremony of newly inducted 268 NAB officers held here on Friday at Aiwan-e-Sadar.

President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain graced the occasion as chief guest.
President and Dy. Chairman NAB Saeed Ahmad Sargana distributed medals and certificates among the position holders of sixth investigator’s basic course.

Deputy Chairman NAB Rear Admiral (Retired) Saeed Ahmed Sargana resolved that NAB will continue to play its role in an enabling environment in furthering of present good governance initiatives.

He added that NAB has received 9353 complaints; it authorized 978 inquiries out of which 327 have been finalized, and 65 converted into References while 586 are under process in 2012.

Out of 397 cases pending investigation, 68 have been finalized through Voluntary Return or Plea Bargain, another 17 were closed due to non-availability of prosecutable evidence, and 62 converted into References while 232 are under process, he added.

Deputy Chairman NAB said that the Bureau is conducting prosecution of 599 References and it has succeeded in recovering Rs.25 billions through voluntary Return and Plea Bargain.
“Breaking this vicious cycle of dirty money and criminal behaviours need to be our prime objective”, Sargana added.

Deputy Chairman said that in a major initiative, taken during the last year NAB inducted 268 officers most of them in BPS-16 and a few higher grades to fill vacancies through a merit - based transparent recruitment process which enabled us to get the best possible people to work as Investigation Officers.
Saeed Ahmad Sargana presented a shield to the President.

Minister of State for Privatization, Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan, Advisor to PM for Water and Power, Dr. Musaddiq Malik, Federal Secretaries and all DGs of NAB were present there.