LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has expressed concerns over the reported move by the government to clip its wings.

“In lieu of making the accountability watchdog more strengthened, we have been hearing whispers to clip powers of NAB,” said NAB Lahore Director General Shahzad Saleem while addressing a ceremony to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day here on Thursday.

He said during the last three years, there had been 500pc increase in NAB Lahore’s overall performance and an increase of 700pc in the housing sector.

“Since the inception of NAB in 1999 till 2016, the regional bureau recovered Rs111bn whereas under the leadership of retired Justice Javed Iqbal, the NAB Lahore recovered Rs116bn during the last three years showing an average recovery performance of Rs39bn annually,” he said.

Mr Saleem said the NAB had been working hard to wipe out the menace of corruption from the country. He said NAB’s anti-corruption drive would continue.

Speaking on the Kashmir issue, he said: “Kahmir has always been the aorta for us and this status will remain the same forever. NAB officials are the part of that voice which is being raised for the liberation of Kashmir,” he added.

The DG also gave away cash prizes and appreciation certificates to the students for their best performances in the competitions held by the NAB Lahore.

A painting exhibition was also organised.

The NAB has set up over 1,800 character-building societies (CBS) in educational institutions.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2019