OWING to outstanding performance of country’s apex anti-graft body, the NAB, Pakistan’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has decreased from 175 to 116. In fact Pakistan is the only country whose CPI is persistently on declining trend and this is the reason that the NAB has emerged as a role model not only for the country but also for the entire SAARC countries and being appreciated in the regional countries for its performance.
Indeed the credit of this extraordinary performance goes to NAB’s Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal and his men who have put in a great effort to reach this stage. The performance of NAB under Javed Iqbal can be gauged from the fact that it recovered Rs 71 billion besides filing of over six hundred corruption reference in accountability courts over the last twenty months. The anti-graft body has also achieved some major progress in fake bank accounts cases and so far recovered about 2.1 billion rupees under the plea bargain. The NAB Chairman managed to secure these successes despite all the criticism from different quarters especially the political parties and we are confident that he will continue to tread the same path to purge the country of this menace which has remained the major hurdle in the progress and prosperity of Pakistan. Reduction in CPI will also send a very positive message and image of Pakistan abroad and definitely help the investors return to this country who earlier were reluctant due to prevalent corrupt practices. The NAB’s latest decision not to handle any sales tax and income tax related matters and that ongoing cases will be referred to the FBR also indicates its forward looking approach and help restore confidence of businessmen. In addition, the people have great expectations that the high profile cases of corruption involving prominent personalities are also brought to conclusion at the earliest and that the justice is done without delay. It is also for the government as well as other political parties to shun the negative course against the NAB and rather join hands to further strengthen its hands through amendments in its laws. Whilst rising above their vested interests, they must understand that zero tolerance to corruption and corrupt practices is the only panacea for the country to achieve positive and sustainable development trajectory.
