NAB chief says Punjab government departments ‘not cooperating’

F.P. Report

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairperson Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal complained on Thursday that departments of the Punjab Government are not cooperating with the anti-graft body.

Addressing a ceremony here, the NAB chief warned that failure to cooperate with the anti-corruption officials will not be tolerated in the future.

Moreover, Iqbal said they shall make all-out efforts to reject bail of influential culprits who pressurise witnesses and to protect witnesses.

He added that those who give directives on someone’s orders will eventually have to bear the brunt of their wrongdoings.

However, Iqbal added, he will try to eradicate corruption till he is in office. It is necessary to clean one’s own house before raising fingers on someone else’s, he said.

About the anti-graft body, Iqbal said NAB is not biased towards anyone. Even NAB officials will be tried if complaint is received against them, he added.

Regarding bureaucracy, the NAB chief said it is the backbone of a country. “[But] will not tolerate lack of cooperation on part of the bureaucracy.”

The NAB chief also spoke about scams pertaining to private housing schemes, saying their owners should know they would be tried.

“Those getting conned by private housing scheme [owners] include pensioners and poor people,” Iqbal said.

He added that owners of such housing schemes show people pleasant dreams of getting a roof but the reality of such projects is “horrible”.

“If owners of private housing schemes cannot provide a roof then they should [at least] reimburse people,” Iqbal added.

The NAB chief said private housing scheme owners make projects but seldom read the rules, one of which also requires them to keep interest rate low.