NAB has nothing to do with elections: Javed Iqbal

ISLAMABAD - National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Sunday said NAB had nothing to do with elections, and it was working in accordance with law and would continue to perform its duties as per its mandate.“The allegations of rigging before the elections have been levelled just to tarnish the image and credibility of NAB.Such allegations cannot frustrate NAB''s firm resolve and commitment to eradicate corruption from the country, which is voice of the whole nation to make the country corruption free,” he said, according to a NAB press release.He said NAB had asked all the stakeholders concerned to find out alternate ways and means for winning the next general election 2018 as indiscriminate actions of NAB had increased its prestige and image manifold due to its visible action against the mighty across the board.Javed Iqbal said," NAB does not believe in any victimization.NAB is committed to nab corrupt, proclaimed offenders and absconders with iron hands by using all its resources.“The whole nation has pinned hopes on NAB for eradication of corruption from the country.NAB will come up to the expectations of the nation to root out corruption at all costs,” he added.He said NAB had been rejuvenated to eradicate corruption and directed all the director generals of the Bureau for not sparing any corrupt, dragging them in the dock.Javed Iqbal directed all ranks of NAB staff to work hard, transparently and on merit as the Bureau was Pakistan’s apex anti-corruption organization.The present management of NAB after assuming of its responsibilities, he said, had not only chalked out an effective National Anti-Corruption Strategy but also taken measures against the corrupt which had started yielding excellent results.He said NAB’s effective National Anti-Corruption Strategy had been acknowledged by both national and reputed international organizations like PILDAT, Transparency International and World Economic Forum, which was a matter of pride for Pakistan.Javed Iqbal said NAB was fully committed to eradicate corruption and bring the corrupt before the justice with the realization that eradication of corruption was a national duty.Due to its effective enforcement policy, NAB had arrested 350 accused persons during the last seven months and recovered about Rs 2,200 million, which was a record achievement with overall convictions of 77 percent, he added.