ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (Retd.) Javed Iqbal on Friday stated that the Anti-graft body and economy ‘can’ run together in the country.
Justice (Retd.) Javed Iqbal affirmed that the NAB and economy will continue to function together but NAB and corruption cannot co-exist.
His words were a reference to former president Asif Ali Zardari who on multiple occasions claimed that the NAB and economy can’t function together.
Addressing a presser in the federal capital, he rejected such talks which blamed NAB for current economic fall.
“No trader or industrialist needs to be wary of NAB as no businessman will be summoned at NAB office in the future. NAB is not taking any sort of political revenge”, Justice (Retd.) Javed Iqbal said.
“Questions will be raised to either a public representative or government official if proofs of corruption are found. If lakhs of dollars are recovered underneath someone’s bathroom or carpet then can we not ask them regarding its source”.
“Pakistan’s name should be removed from greylist of FATF and that requires the elimination of money laundering”, he said.
Lashing out at certain politicians undergoing NAB references, he said that those who see NAB everywhere in the country go abroad and if a public representative is caught over corruption charges then each day assembly session are called up which leads to delay in the cases.
He compared the differences in fee paid to NAB prosecutors and counsels of under-probe suspects.
“Crores of rupees are paid to lawyers of suspects whereas utmost three lacs are paid to prosecutors of the graft-busting body”, he added.
“I may not be an expert in economy or politics but I began my life from the judiciary and my life is similar to an open book”, Chairman NAB concluded.
