MM News

ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal has asserted that the corruption watchdog was accused of everything except spreading coronavirus.

“Those who are involved in the propaganda are the ones facing some sort of inquiry or investigation against them,” he said while addressing the chamber of commerce in Islamabad today (Tuesday).

The NAB chairman claimed that vicious propaganda is ongoing against the institution. However, he said, no threat or blackmailing will be a hurdle in the way of the bureau taking action against corrupt people.

“NAB and Pakistan can co-exist; however, corruption and Pakistan cannot,” he said, adding that some people were hiding their weaknesses by blaming the watchdog.

He further said that the country is deep in debts. “Someone had to step up and take a stand against corruption and this is exactly what NAB did,” he said, adding that NAB summoned those people who were earlier considered untouchable.

The NAB chairman said that the anti-graft body has no political role and the institution was not taking revenge from anyone. He reiterated that those who think that NAB has filed a wrongful reference against them may approach the court.

He pointed out that currently, 1,235 corruption references were pending in courts but not even one percent of them was against members of the business community.

Javed Iqbal also denied allegation of humiliating suspects and also denied accusations that suspects had died in NAB custody. “Investigation had revealed that the deaths were caused by heart attacks,” he concluded.