ISLAMABAD– The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the premier anti-corruption agency in Pakistan, has lambasted at Daily Dawn for tarnishing its image by what it said writing truth-less editorial.
According to the clarification press release, NAB says this is apropos of the editorial published on January 26, 2021 by the Daily Dawn newspaper titled as “NAB not impartial” NAB has out rightly rejected the editorial of daily Dawn newspaper wherein a malicious attempt is carried out by daily Dawn newspaper to tarnish the exemplary image and prestige of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as an institution in the eyes of its readers through one sided and biased reporting against NAB as an institution and its workings. The context used in the said editorial by the daily Dawn is premised on deliberate conjecturing and assumptions based on cherry picked surmises which are far from true facts aimed only to bring disrepute and discredit NAB.
NAB has time and again clarified and announced and it has no affiliation with any political party, individual or group and its affiliation is only with the State of Pakistan. NAB is an apex anti-corruption organization of the country which is mandated with the responsibility of eradication of corruption and to recover money from corrupt elements. It has been said time and again by NAB to Daily Dawn newspaper to present a correct and unbiased picture to the general public as newspapers must ascertain facts and avoid writing concocted, baseless, false, and incorrect editorial such as daily Dawn. Further, it is lamentable that this esteemed newspaper daily Dawn was founded by our Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the father of the nation who had termed corruption and nepotism as a curse. NAB has solid reason to believe that the above editorial of Dawn is not only contrary to facts but also prima facie reflects the biased attitude of Dawn against NAB. It is also a worrisome fact that the standards of journalistic reporting were not properly adhered to by this esteemed newspaper that it even did not bother to seek the official viewpoint of NAB as per law. Therefore, NAB has called upon daily Dawn newspaper to substantiate its malicious imputations through cogent and legally sound evidence, documentary, and/or otherwise. The entire defaming material is riddled with unadulterated malice based on vicious motives and illicit intent which is a question mark on the working of daily Dawn newspaper that should have an official viewpoint of NAB before writing any editorial or publishing any news related to NAB. It is also being reiterated over here that NAB will not bow down under any propaganda campaign whatsoever about its transparent, fair and meritocratic workings and will continue to nab corrupt elements in society considering it as its national service as per law. The mandate under the NAO 1999 empowers NAB to initiate proceedings against holders of a public office, or any other persons for corruption and corrupt practices as per law.
On the previous account, NAB had asked daily Dawn newspaper to publish a rebuttal to one of its published stories which were wholly untrue. Dawn did so on June 18, 2015, after a period of 28 days which shows the malafide intent of daily Dawn newspaper. Dawn not only published NAB’s clarification at a belated stage but also regretted the publication of the news item. Moreover, Daily Dawn newspaper had published another news report with regards to the business community on February 23, 2016, which was rebutted by NAB. Dawn had published selected part of the rebuttal in its letters to the editor section on February 25, 2016, which was contrary to journalistic ethos and principles of publishing as the rebuttal ought to be placed on the same page where the original story was published with the same magnitude.
As far as the excellent performance of NAB is concerned, NAB under the dynamic leadership of Mr. Justice Javed Iqbal, Chairman strongly believes in “Accountability for All” and NAB’s faith is corruption free Pakistan. NAB is the focal organization of Pakistan under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Pakistan is the only country that has signed an MOU with China through NAB to oversee ongoing projects under CPEC. Due to the efforts of NAB, Pakistan had become the first Chairman of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation’s (AARC) Anti-Corruption Forum. NAB has recovered Rs. 487 billion from corrupt elements directly and indirectly and deposited in national exchequer from 2018 to 2020 during the tenure of present management of NAB which is record achievement besides NAB has recovered Rs. 714 billion from corrupt elements directly and indirectly and deposited in national exchequer since its inception. NAB has introduced a concept of Combined Investigation Team (CIT) system in order to benefit from collective wisdom of senior supervisory officers in order to further improve the quality and standard of inquiries and investigations on the basis of solid and incriminating evidence as per law which is lending quality. NAB has also established its own Forensic Science Laboratory in order to have the forensic analysis of fingerprints, questioned documents, digital forensic in order to save time, ensure secrecy and quality of investigation. NAB has established its own Pakistan Anti-Corruption Academy to provide state of the art training facilities to its investigation officers and prosecutors on modern lines. NAB’s prosecution division is vigorously pursuing the corruption cases in the respected courts and NAB’s overall conviction ratio in Accountability Courts is about 68.8 percent. The reputed national and international organizations like Transparency International Pakistan, World Economic Forum, PILDAT, Mishal Pakistan, and as per survey of Gallup, 59 percent of people have shown trust upon NAB. NAB has filed 1230 corruption references in respected Accountability Courts which are under trial in respected Accountability Court as per law and their total worth is about Rs. 943 billion.
Moreover, NAB has further clarified a news item published in daily Dawn newspaper today on Feb 4, 20121 titled “NAB summons deputy chairman of Senate today” and said that NAB has not summoned deputy chairman of Senate today in fake bank account case. The news published in daily Dawn newspaper on Feb 4, 2021 is not only baseless but is ample proof of one sided wrong reporting of daily Dawn newspaper against NAB in order to tarnish its prestige whereas NAB always believes in performing its responsibilities as per law. NAB has filed a reference in the respected Accountability Court Islamabad as per law in which the deputy chairman of the Senate is one of the accused. Since the matter is subjudice in respected Accountability Court Islamabad where NAB will present its case as per law. Media is requested to kindly avoid speculations in this regard.
NAB has reiterated its firm resolved that NAB is a people-friendly institution that always ensures protecting the self-esteem of everyone including Parliamentarians. Conveying such kind of impression to the public through incorrect reporting against the transparent working of NAB is unfair and is a part of a malicious campaign against NAB by daily Dawn newspaper. NAB hopes that in the true spirit of responsible journalism, an effort would always be made to verify the authenticity of any news before going to print related to NAB by the management of daily Dawn newspaper. NAB reserves the right to proceed against Daily Dawn Newspaper for its incorrect and one sided reporting in order to malign the repute of NAB as an institution.— PRESS RELEASE
