NAB chief says accountability 'one-sided to those who are blindfolded'

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau Chairperson retired Justice Javed Iqbal on Tuesday said accountability "is one-sided to those who are blindfolded".

Speaking at an event at the NAB headquarters where funds from mudaraba cases were distributed among the victims, Iqbal said the anti-graft watchdog pursued a policy of transparency and equal accountability.

"Each case is judged on merit from all angles," the NAB chief underlined.

Slamming the opposition politicians, he said those who had not read NAB's rules criticised the anti-corruption watchdog. "Look at the constitution and the law before criticising," he said.

Speaking of the institution's success, he said the credit "goes to everyone from the deputy courier to the chairperson".

"Efforts are being made to address public grievances, as well as to further improve the performance of NAB," he underscored, adding that the body's officials had been guided by the decisions of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Iqbal further said it was crucial to understand the importance of self-esteem as well. "Everyone's self-respect should be taken into account; it's not as if someone is innocent and a case or reference has been made against them" by the NAB, he said, however refusing to comment on the institution's performance before 2017.

"It is not a good thing to praise oneself," the NAB boss said, adding that the anti-graft watchdog had no exemption of any kind.

"If NAB was a failed institution, where would this Rs364 billion have come from? Reference cases worth Rs 1,200 billion are being heard in the courts.

"No one [in the references] committed insignificant corruption — there is millions, billions worth of corruption. Everything will be clear if the cases are decided as soon as possible," he added.