The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inform the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday that politicians are the least corrupt in the country when compared to bureaucrats and businesses.
The NAB data on recoveries made through voluntary return and plea bargains submitted to PAC revealed that among bureaucrats, businessmen, and others, the recoveries made from politicians were the lowest.
According to the figures, the anti-corruption agency seized a total of Rs54.63 billion, of which just Rs0.47 billion belonged to lawmakers. Bureaucrats were fined Rs8.17 billion, merchants were fined Rs24.31 billion, while others were fined Rs21.68 billion.
The figure comprises Rs19.12 billion from voluntary returns and Rs35.51 billion via plea bargaining. The politicians received Rs0.47 billion in return.
Furthermore, officials voluntarily returned Rs3.96 while a plea bargain got Rs4.21 from them. Businessmen plea bargained the most, forking over Rs17.16 billion and voluntarily returning Rs7.15 to NAB.
The NAB officials stressed that the only difference between voluntary return and a plea bargain was the level of conviction, in response to a question from committee members.
They stated, “Plea bargain carries conviction.” “Who could be these angels who voluntarily returned the money to NAB?” pondered PPP’s Sherry Rehman.
Meanwhile, NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal missed the PAC hearing yet again because to a positive Covid-19 test.
PAC chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain and committee members, on the other hand, raised no fuss about DG NAB Hasnain Ahmed presenting a briefing. Last time, PAC had refused to take briefing over chairman NAB’s absence and a letter from NAB pointing out that Prime Minister Imran Khan had barred the anti-graft chairman from performing earlier than parliamentary committees, which include PAC.
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The committee had summoned chairman NAB on January 26 to quiz him at the appropriation of debts as nicely overall recoveries made via way of means of the anti-graft frame from politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen and different entities which include the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The maximum duty discussion board of parliament had additionally directed him to carry information referring to book adjustments, coins recoveries and the whole embezzled quantity from govt treasury and personal entities, people and banks.