National Accountability Bureau chairman Lt-Gen (Retd) Nazir Ahmad has said that his department will penalise those who deprive people of their hard-earned money.
Speaking at an event here on Monday, NAB Chairman Nazir Ahmed said that seven out of every 10 people are victims of some housing scheme fraud.
He resolved to transform NAB into a professional department and dispeled the impression of fear. He said, “Our duties augmented after formation of new NAB laws.” He expresses hope that the bureau will conclude delayed cases swiftly.
He said: “Corruption is a menace. No one needs to feel fear from NAB as our duty is to capture thief only, not to disrupt the whole community.” He confesses that NAB showed cavalier behaviour in past years and assures that officials will deal people in a civilised way.
The NAB chairman said his department was returning amounts to people who fell prey to housing scams.
He is of the view that NAB laws have been amended in the past few years and there are issues which cause delay in justice provision.
He said that NAB’s philosophy revolves around bringing back amounts and properties to the fraud-hit people. He said he will ensure safety of investors’ liquidity and rights to save people from deception.
He advised people to invest their money in suitable enterprises after consultation.
He further said that neither an individual nor a department can liberate the country from corruption. “All segments of society will have to play their role in wiping out corruption,” he says.
Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed said that the perception about slow-paced working at NAB is true to some extent.
He said that the anti-graft watchdog is trying that no injustice would be done to people. We will tighten our noose around the opportunists, he added.
He said that the purpose of starting an organized awareness campaign among the people is that the youth who will be a part of the awareness campaign, will become the ambassadors of the NAB.
He said that the word fraud has been replaced with victim, and the accused are being called as respondents instead of calling them accused.
“NAB is your protector and supporter. We will make NAB a professional institution,” he added.
The NAB chairman said that no single person or an institution could free the country from corruption, everyone has to work together to rid the society from corruption.
