ISLAMABAD, May 9: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Lt-Gen Munir Hafiz on Wednesday said the bureau was also receiving applications regarding alleged corruption of sitting federal ministers, parliamentarians and important personalities.

Talking to reporters at a graduation ceremony of second investigation officers' course of the NAB, he said: "We are receiving complaints against ministers and parliamentarians but they could not be disclosed before thorough investigations," he said.

He said some such complaints had proved false and baseless, therefore, the NAB could not make these complaints public without investigations. Responding to a question, he said complaints against ministers and important figures were under investigation.

Replying to a question about cases of Asif Ali Zardari being tried in accountability courts, he emphasized the need for prompt disposal of corruption cases so that the bureau could concentrate on fresh cases.

About a statement of President Pervez Musharraf that he was ready to shake hand with former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, the NAB chief said: "It is the right of every Pakistani to meet anybody."

Talking about the recovery so far made by the bureau, he said the NAB had recovered Rs180 billion from the accused in various cases and deposited it into the national exchequer. He vowed that the NAB will continue its efforts to root out the menace of corruption and nepotism from the country.