PESHAWAR, April 25: National Accountability Bureau, NWFP, Director-General Air Vice-Marshal Hifazatullah has asserted that the NAB is not guided by any political consideration in its work.

Speaking at a press conference, he said the bureau was aggressively engaged in eliminating corruption. "Our foremost task is to lay hands on corrupt officials and eliminate corruption from the society," he said.

"The investigators, despite hardships, are working aggressively to clean this part of the world of all kinds of corruption." He claimed that corruption would be eradicated in the near future. The people who had embezzled national wealth would be taken to task,he said.

According to him, Pakistan ranked two on the world list of corruption but after the establishment of the NAB, the ranking at dropped to 92 among 113 countries. The bureau had to bring amendments to its rules in the wake of the verdict of the Supreme Court on a writ petition filed by Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, he said.

He said the laws were constantly being evaluated and upgraded since the establishment of the NAB about three years ago. He said it was wrong to assume that the bureau's actions against corrupt people had adversely affected investment scenario in the country.

He said the accused were arrested after a thorough probe by various investigation cells. "We know that if someone was arrested without investigation that wouldbring bad name to the bureau, the country and the victims," he said.

He said a corruption-free atmosphere was necessary for the progress of the country. He said Hong Kong and Singapore were not developed countries when corruption was rampant there. He said the bureau had 15 per cent commission in the recovered amount and the rest was deposited in the national exchequer.