National Accountability Bureau (NAB) By Abdul Salam Dadabhoy http://ift.tt/1MNXZ14 In Pakistan, like the privileges and perks available to the rich and the powerful, NAB has also been structured and tailored politically, to ignore or ratify the economic terrorism of high profiled individuals. This is not the same NAB, as was functioning during the regime of General Pervez Musharraf. Good or bad, right or wrong, during his rule, when allegations of corruption were established against Admiral Mansoor Ul Haq, the Admiral was brought back to Pakistan from USA, stripped off his title and made to return the wealth. Performance of NAB after the departure of General Pervez Musharraf, has been going down the drain, quite similarly to the fashion the country is. It is now not even fit, to be referred to as the National Accountability Bureau. It rather must be called the Selective Accountability Bureau, as certain individuals have been exempted, from appearance before the Accountability Courts and some references have been filed in such manner, that Accountability Courts have had no other option, but to exonerate the accused giving legal cover, so that the untouchables continue to remain untouched. In Israel most recently, as international news reports, an ex – Prime Minister was convicted on charges of corruption. Unlike many other countries, this trend of NAB in Pakistan as usual leaves the axe, to fall on the poor, the mediocre and commoners. Has NAB after the departure of General Pervez Musharraf arrested, even one high profiled individual? Answer is in the negative. The whole world is talking of the high costs of Metro, LPG, the Fuel Crisis, Rental Power, Ephedrine case, waiver of bank loans worth trillions, un – recovered bank loans worth trillions, lands worth trillions sold at throw away prices, so on and so forth, but for NAB all that is unimportant, as the necks of the poor common men are thin, easy to be grabbed and twisted and thereafter NAB can keep on justifying its performances, by investigating housing schemes and petty issues, which do not constitute even 1 % of the total sum of the money plundered and stashed abroad. When one talks of putting hands on the big fish, the whole bunch of Parliamentarians and Politicians assemble and the very existence of NAB gets threatened. So the big fish has never and will never get netted. During the tenure of Admiral Fasih Bukhari (previous Chairman of NAB), an officer investigating the Rental Power case was murdered and his murder was shown to be a suicide. His family was later silenced, to even dare to speak. The family is silent till to date. Similarly, Customs Intelligence Inspector investigating the Ayyan Ali case has been silenced forever and his murder has been shown as a robbery attempt. Has NAB intervened? NAB has not. It knows exactly who to touch and who to leave alone. 5 Billion Dollars were most recently apprehended in waters off the Karachi coast by the Pakistan Navy. Has NAB bothered to look into how much money has been siphoned off by the holders of public office? Irony is, that NAB can’t see, that people who were mere poppers two decades back, are now internationally rich. Has NAB bothered to approach international agencies to find out, where and how much Pakistani money is deposited in foreign lands and Banks. Hats off to Imran Khan, Pervez Khattak and IGP KPK Nasir Durrani for proving, that even a sitting Minister of the ruling party is not above the law. Has NAB bothered to look into why the JIT has cleared all, of the Model Town murders? Has NAB looked into the Islamabad Massacre of 31 August during the Dharna? After all it is supposed to be the National Accountability Bureau and not only the Financial Accountability Bureau. Even if it considers itself, as only the Financial Accountability Bureau, it has failed to accomplish the objectives it was created for and that was and is putting an end to economic terrorism, which goes on unabated. Few months ago a Power Point Presentation was made and posted on Word Press, to suggest to limit and restrict NAB only to the extents of Bureaucrats’ and Politicians. The link is appended herewith for ready reference. http://ift.tt/1JJL8P6 For all other categories of investigations, there are Anti Corruption Establishments in all provinces of Pakistan, the Federal Investigation Agency and other regulatory bodies, as well as Civil and High Courts, which are able and capable, to monitor such activities and investigations. But if NAB insists on scrutinizing every malpractice and misconduct, the least they can do is to come clean and treat no one as above the law. The Plea Bargain phenomenon for example, is not only immoral but illogical. A wrong is a wrong. By accepting it partially, one cannot justify and legitimize the act. While on the subject, it is submitted that there must be relevant amendments, in the National Accountability Ordinance, wherein complainants of fake and frivolous nature, must also be taken to task, no matter how high and mighty they are. No personal agenda of a NAB official (Serving or Ex), must be accepted for investigation, as being against the very spirit of accountability. When the time is ripe, a similar case shall be discussed, in which just on account of personal motive, the Bureau was used for more than two years, to satisfy the agenda of an Ex Officer of NAB. At the appropriate time, God willing !! by webmaster@insaf.pk (tkiadmin)

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