Pakistan Review News and Reviews

NAB seeks politicians' extradition

ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: The National Accountability Bureau has expedited its efforts for the extradition of politicians and bureaucrats allegedly involved in corruption from different countries, specially the United States and Britain.

Speaking at a press conference at the NAB headquarters on Monday, the NAB spokesman, Brigadier Tayyab Waheed, said the government was pursuing cases against politicians and bureaucrats who had obtained asylum in different countries.

"Currently the interior ministry is in close contact with the US and the UK governments for the extradition of politicians. However, there are some legal constraints due to which the justice departments of these government are hesitant in extraditing politicians and bureaucrats," he added.

Brigadier Waheed said these politicians and bureaucrats should return to the country and face the courts. "If they think they are innocent, then they should not be afraid of anything," he said.

He refuted a statement of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto in which she claimed that cases of some politicians had been withdrawn by the NAB.

He said that the NAB had not withdrawn any case against politicians, specially against the members of PPP-Patriots.

"Cases against the sitting parliamentarians are still under being heard and one of the examples in this regard is the hearing of a corruption case against interior minister Faisal Saleh Hayat which was held two weeks ago at Lahore High Court," the NAB spokesman said.

"We have not received any instructions from the government to close investigation against any parliamentarian," he added.

To a question about removal of names of sitting parliamentarians from the Exit Control List despite the fact that their cases were still being tried in accountability courts, Brigadier Waheed said a decision in this respect was made by the government and the NAB had no objection in this regard.

"The names of accused are put on the ECL to ensure that they do not leave the country before the final verdict of the court, but in the present situation I think after assuming charge of ministries the accused politicians would not escape," he said.

"Everyone is pointing fingers at the removal of names of Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat and Water and Power Minister Aftab Sherpao from the ECL, but no one is saying that the names of other parliamentarians like Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Amin Fahim and others have also been removed," he said.

To a question, Brigadier Waheed said there were 18 politicians against whom investigation was being carried out and their cases would be sent to the court after completion of required process.

In response to an allegation levelled by Benazir Bhutto regrading heavy budget of the NAB, Brigadier Waheed said so far Rs500 million had been spent on the bureau, while it had recovered over Rs100 billion from the convicts. "The recovered amount has been deposited with the national exchequer," he said.

On the question of induction of retired army officials into the NAB, he said according to the NAB rules at least 10 per cent of its total staff would belong to the army.

He said the NAB had been waiting for the completion of the federal cabinet to apprise the cabinet members about the bureau's investigation policy.

About the appointment of NAB chief, Brigadier Waheed said under the new rules, the NAB chairman would be appointed by the president of Pakistan in consultation with the leader of the house and leader of the opposition.

The government, he said, was establishing a permanent cadre for the NAB under which those who had been sent to the NAB on deputation would become its permanent staffers. "In this connection consent of the relevant departments would be a must," he added.

He said under the new rules retired judges of the Supreme Court, retired chief justices of high courts, retired civilian officers of grade-22 and retired lieutenant generals and officers having equivalent ranks in other forces could become the NAB chairman.

"Another change has been made in the NAB rules under which voluntarily return of looted wealth would only be accepted if the case of the accused is in inquiry stage, but in case the investigation has already started it would not be accepted and the only option left would be plea-bargain," he maintained.

Responding to a question about corruption cases in the Central Board of Revenue, he said the NAB was proceeding 43 cases against the CBR officials. Of which six had been disposed of, seven were in the courts, while the rest were being investigated.

Brigadier Waheed said under the new rules, the bureau would also investigate custom-duty evasion cases.

In response to a question about irregularities pointed out by the Public Accounts Committee in defence purchase, he said the committee had so far sent not a single case to the NAB.

Highlighting the importance of training for NAB investigators, he said that the FBI experts had also imparted training to the NAB officials during a course about white-collar crimes.

MERGER: Brigadier Waheed said that the process of merger of two main components of the FIA with NAB would be completed by the end of February.

He said that two main departments of the FIA - anti-corruption wing and economic crimes circle - would be handed over to the NAB. However, he said the NAB would not induct the entire staff of both the wings, rather it would be inducted according to the NAB's choice.

Responding to a question about reservations expressed by some FIA officials on their induction into the NAB, he said it was obvious that while working with the NAB they would not find a chance for corruption.

Dawn