ISLAMABAD, March 5: The National Accountability Bureau has so far recovered Rs185 billion through plea-bargain and other deals, the NAB chairman Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez said in a statement issued here on Thursday.

The NAB chairman's statement said the amount was recovered from those who had plundered the national wealth. Meanwhile, in a function, the NAB chief urged income tax commissioners to work with dedication to ensure the creation of a corruption-free society, the statement said.

He said: "Every organisation should have an internal accountability mechanism ... it will further strengthen the drive against corruption," he added.

Referring to the National Accountability Strategy, Lt-Gen Hafiez said a national steering committee had been formed to oversee the working of the NAB and all other government departments.

The committee, he said, comprised secretary interior ministry, secretary information ministry, secretary law ministry, secretary finance ministry, auditor general of Pakistan, chairman Central Board of Revenue, chairman planning commission, media representatives and others.

Governors of all four provinces of the country will have close liaison with national steering committee for better coordination of provincial government departments in implementing the NACS, he said.

"Without the cooperation of federal and provincial government departments, NAB cannot eradicate corruption, therefore, the government had decided to bring all government departments under a net of the government's anti-corruption policy," he said.