KARACHI, Jan 27: Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lt-Gen Munir Hafeez, on Thursday urged all institutions in the country to have good governance and also systems of checks and balances in order to rid Pakistan of corruption.

Talking to journalists while visiting the Sindh Madressatul Islam, he said the NAB had so far recovered Rs200 billion from those involved in corrupt practices. Answering a question, he said the NAB had not received any complaint against the City Nazim of Karachi, Niamatullah Khan, from the Sindh Local Government Commission (SLGC).

"As far as I know, no such case against City Nazim Karachi has been sent so far to the NAB for investigations. However, if NAB receives any complaint, it would definitely initiate a probe," he remarked.

"We take action on complaints from a department or any other source but we do not take action or initiate investigations on our own," he said. Answering a question, Lt-Gen Munir Hafeez expressed satisfaction over the NAB's performance, adding that it was successful in many respects.

"The NAB is discharging its duties regardless of any political affiliation and agenda. We believe that those involved in corruption should face courts for their wrongdoing.

"For the first time in Pakistan, people belonging to high places have been held on charges of corruption," he said. The chief of NAB stressed the need to spread awareness among the masses about corruption, adding that the menace had been controlled at the top levels of government.

Earlier, speaking to students, he urged them to follow in the footsteps of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He called for accountability at the family level, to eliminate corruption and to create a healthy society.

The principal of the institution, Muhammad Ali Sheikh, also spoke on the occasion. The chairman of NAB later visited some parts of the historic institution and saw relics belonging to the father of the nation. - PPI