Press Release

Zero Corruption 100% Development - Anti Corruption Day

ISLAMABAD, December 9, 2013: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in collaboration with United National Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) organized a seminar titled "Zero Corruption - 100 percent Development" on Anti-Corruption Day here at Islamabad. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mr. Pervez Rasheed graced the occasion as chief guest. A bunch of renowned speakers delivered their speeches including Acting Chairman NAB, Rear Admiral (Retd) Saeed Ahmad Sargana, Mr. Cesar Guedes, Country Representative UNODC, Niell Weight, Country Representative UNHCR, Mr. Adil Gilani, Advisor Transparency International Pakistan (TIP), Farrukh Khan Pitafi, Senior Journalist, Rahat Kaunain Hassan, former Chairperson Competition Commission of Pakistan, Col (Retd) Subah Sadiq, DG NAB and Brig. (Retd) Muhammad Musaddiq Abbasi, DG NAB.

Speaking to the occasion, Acting Chairman, Saeed Ahemad Sargana said NAB under the Awareness and Prevention regime during period from June 2012 to November 2013 has intervened and scrutinized 552 projects worth rupees 1692 billion and saved Rs. 300 billion (approx) precious money of the national exchequer. NAB has also recovered another Rs. 50 billion through the enforcement during the year 2013. Acting Chairman said, for maximizing the returns of the accountability efforts, focus should be given to the Awareness and Prevention of corruption with more focus to the education for intolerance towards the corruption to ensure development of the country and transformation into a vibrant society. 

As NAB is focusing on Awareness and Prevention, it has established 4000 character building societies across the country in different Universities, Colleges and Schools. He said to improve good governance, there is need for government to assign right person for the right job. He urged the government to include a new cadre of "Procurement" in official cadres so that corruption which happens during award of contracts can be saved. 

While talking to the gathering, UNODC Country Representative Cesar Guedes said although we celebrate Pakistan's participation in community of nations committed to combat corruption, we know that much more needs to be done. He said, corruption is an issue that continues to have deleterious impact on everyone, especially the poor and most vulnerable. He added, it diverts funds intended for essential public services, erodes public confidence in its government and discourages private sector investment. He urged the gathering to renew commitments to say enough is enough and no more corruption. 

Speaking to the Seminar, Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan said, corruption has corrupted the agenda of economic development. The focus on this aspect has to change from 'people' to 'systems and processes'. Corruption is to be identified as inefficiency, which results because of poor process design or due to lapses in procedures entailing systemic risk. 

Speaking to the Seminar, Mr Farruk Patafi Said, to eradicate menace of corruption, teach people the importance of fighting corruption, sensitize them, give them ownership and capacity to monitor and eventually this evil will go away.

Brig. (Retd) Musaddiq Abbasi while talking to the occasion emphasized for autonomy of bureaucracy through constitutional and tenure protection, fiscal decentralization and transparency in procurements.

For further information kindly contact Rizwana Asad, Communications Officer via 0301-8564255 and/or  rizwana.asad@unodc.org