WB to help get money siphoned off abroad: Wolfowitz briefed on reforms
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: World Bank President Paul D. Wolfowitz has promised to help Pakistan recover billions of rupees siphoned off abroad by some people. The assurance came during the World bank chief’s meeting with a team led by the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance Dr Salman Shah.
“Mr Wolfowitz stated that the World Bank would assist in any way to stop corruption and to assist Pakistan to recover money sent abroad through illegal means,” said a statement issued by the finance ministry.
National Accountability Bureau Chairman Lt-Gen Munir Hafeez highlighted the government’s anti-corruption strategy and gave details of the money recovered from bank defaulters and others.
He asked “the WB president to help Pakistan recover its money siphoned out abroad by some Pakistanis through illegal means”. He highlighted his organization’s role for creating awareness and eradicating corruption.
A transparent policy has been devised to apply on all public sector procurement uniformly, he said. He said an anti-money laundering law was under process and it would soon be submitted for approval.
Dr Shah said NAB had established its credibility and was a deterrent for all wrongdoers. The governance team which met Mr Wolfowitz included Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Finance Omar Ayub Khan, Auditor-General Younus Khan, national Reconstruction Bureau Chairman Danial Aziz and finance, law and economic affairs officials.
Dr Shah gave an overview of various structural and policy reforms including in police, judiciary and civil services, aimed at good governance and eradication of corruption.
Explaining the salient features of the devolution programme, the NRB chairman said it had empowered the powerless and women by providing relief to people at the grassroots.
He asked multilateral donor agencies, including the World Bank, to support the devolution process.
Dr Shah said the country was passing through a transitory phase and he was hopeful that the devolution would have firm roots with the passage of time.
The World Bank delegation also held talks with economic and education affairs teams led by Dr Shah.
The PM’s adviser said the Indus River was a major source and its potential could be exploited through the ‘second Indus basin initiative’ with the help of the World Bank consortium outside its budget and lending programme.
He suggested the creation of a trust fund for development of areas along the Afghan border in addition to infrastructure for regional connectivity to facilitate trade and traffic.
The need for maintaining the north-south corridor of road network was also discussed to reduce the time taken for transporting goods to and from Karachi.
