LAHORE: Under the supervision of Director-General Shahzad Saleem, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore’s Awareness & Prevention (A&P) Wing has been imparting different activities to spread the message of standing against corruption.
During the tenure of Chairman Justice ®️ Javed Iqbal from 1.10.2017 till 1.10.2020, NAB Lahore received 33,911 complaints with increase of 220 percent/year and recovered Rs15,817 million in the form of plea bargain (PB) with increase of 280 percent/year.
NAB made indirect recovery of Rs53,522 million with increase of 890 percent. 58,790 persons got relief due to hectic efforts of Director-General Shahzad Saleem.
NAB DG Shahzad Saleem filed References amounting to Rs73,237 million in accountability courts with increase of 425 percent/year while maintaining excellent conviction ratio of 78 percent and arrested 655 corrupt persons with increase of 160 percent.
The A&P Wing is mandated to carry out Awareness and Prevention functions against corruption in pursuance of Section 33C of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).
Under NAB’s Awareness and Preventive effective campaign across the country, NAB has been engaging different government non-government organizations, media, civil society and other segments of society in order to make people aware about the ill effects of corruption.
As per excellent feedback received and appreciation of reputed national and international organization, various segments of society, NAB’s Awareness campaign on NAB’s Faith-Corruption free Pakistan had been effectively highlighted in all media forums.
Under supervision of Director-General Shahzad Saleem NAB Lahore has also been conducting seminars, lectures, meetings and briefings throughout the year to extend services to create awareness amongst the people about the ill-effects of corruption and to facilitate the general public.
During Covid-19 pandemic, Director-General Shahzad Saleem asked Chughtai Laboratories to reduce test charges for corona virus testing by 50pc for senior Pakistani citizens. A meeting was held between NAB A&P Wing and Dr Umer and other management of the laboratory in April this year.
In the meeting, it was agreed to reduce charges for the corona test for senior citizens up to fifty percent. Moreover, NAB is resolute to contact other laboratories requesting them to reduce charges for the tests.
After directions from Director-General Shahzad Saleem, a meeting was held with Excise and Taxation Department Secretary Wajeeh-din Kundi and Excise & Taxation Director General Masoodul Haque who gave briefing to the Awareness & Prevention (A&P) Wing of National Accountability Bureau Lahore on the issue of delay in the issuance of number plates and smart cards in Lahore.
The department is already facing backlog of over 1.5 million number plates. They had been summoned by Lahore NAB DG Saleem Shahzad after no notable headway for made despite a similar meeting that was held in last year. The Excise Officer briefed the anti-graft watchdog that the stock of number plates had ended at the end of year 2019.
The department was facing problems in issuance of the number plates and cards due to technical reasons. Under government to government agreement to provide plates on decreased rates that NRTC was being signed.
After instructions from Director-General Saleem Shahzad, NAB Lahore held a meeting with the management of Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) over complaints of alleged corruption, power theft and bringing reforms in its affairs.
It was attended by LESCO Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mujahid Pervaiz Chattha, General Manager Operations Pervaiz Bashir Ahmed and senior officers of bureau’s Awareness and Prevention Wing.
National Accountability Bureau has been working on three pronged strategy of Awareness, Prevention and Enforcement to culminate the threat of corruption from society. In this regard, numerous non-stop activities remain continue throughout the year. These activities get pace during last quarter of every year to commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day which is being celebrated on 9th of December.
NAB called the LESCO management after receiving complaints of alleged corruption, electricity theft and quality of services being provided to the public along with redress of public complaints.
During the briefing, NAB sought electricity tariffs details of all private housing societies in Lahore, corruption practices committed through defective meters and electricity theft and action being taken against LESCO employees involved in providing assistance in power theft, during last five years.
“Smart meters installation project’s details have also been demanded by NAB and an elucidation is being sought for not installation of smart meters in areas with high ratio of electricity theft” NAB said.
During the briefing LESCO CEO Mujaid Pervaiz Chattha brought forth the issue of staff shortage. He said since 2015, LESCO had not made recruitment while approval had been granted to LESCO for appointment of the minimum necessary staff recently.
The CEO said LESCO had been facing 4.12pc line losses but still the company was more efficiently performing than Karachi’s electricity provider company. He said the company had Rs8 billion default three years earlier and currently it had turned into a beneficiary company.