NAB has disclosed that Pakistan loses up to Rs8 billion per day in corruption. It has exceeded even otherwise massive corruption figures earlier given by the Transparency International Pakistan.

The Transparency International has evaluated that corruption of Rs8,500 billion took place during the past four years. But corruption figures now given by NAB means Rs2.9 trillion are being lost in a year and Rs11.6 trillion have been lost during the past four years because of corruption.

Now the question arises: what is NAB doing? Are other related institutions not failing? Who is responsible? Is it only the judiciary’s job to put things on the right track? If that is so, what is the function of other institutions?

TARIQ HUSAIN KHAN Karachi

Failure

THE chairman of the National Accountability Bureau gave a press conference recently in which he said that there were billions of rupees being embezzled in Pakistan everyday.

I find it odd that the person whose job is to stop corruption and prosecute anyone who is corrupt in Pakistan is highlighting to us that he has not been doing his job properly.

Well done, chairman NAB. Under his leadership, corruption in Pakistan has increased while he spends more time in investigating the Arsalan case because that is what he is told to do.

Only in Pakistan do leaders hold press conferences to tell everyone boldly how badly they had failed in their public service job.

SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER Peshawar

Recruitment

THIS is apropos of the ongoing induction in NAB. The tests were held on June 23 and 24, conducted by the National Testing Service, a highly credible testing institute.

It is being said that candidates will be subjected to some psychological test as well, which has caused great concern. Logically, the test of Junior Investigation Officer had 15 multiple choice questions of IQ and 20 of analytical reasoning.

Apart from this, there were 25 to 30 MCQs in the English portion assessing the analogy and comprehension capabilities of candidates. So, directly there were 35 MCQs out of 100 and indirectly it ranged between 60 to 65 MCQs, gauging the psychological abilities of candidates.

In such a scenario, another psychological test raises serious apprehensions that nepotism, favouritism and other malpractices will play a role, as the department itself will get involved.

Keeping in view the format of CSS examinations, only 20 per cent, i.e., 300 out of 1,500 marks are allocated to both the psychological test and the interview.

If any psychological test is held, both the psychological test and interview, should not collectively form more than 20 per cent of the total in line with the standard the CSS format.

Also, FPSC does not conduct psychological test for any post other than the CSS. Written test plays the decisive role as this way transparency is ensured.

OMR machine knows no relations, friends, but members in the interview panel, while NAB employees are human beings overwhelmed with emotions. Transparency can only be ensured by following the popular practice of all credible examinations such as the CSS, where written examinations are given importance.

I demand that the written test conducted by the NTS must be given 80 per cent weightage and the interview along with psychological part, if any, should only be restricted to 20 per cent weightage, just aiming at analysing the interpersonal skills of the qualifiers.

The issue is very serious and has invited the attention of the judiciary, in general, and the Supreme Court, in particular. If higher weightage is awarded to interview, it will be logically taken as a mala fide intention. It should also be kept in mind that the hiring in civil services is quite different from that of the armed forces.

The process cannot be justified by the pattern of the Inter Services Selection Board, as the nature of the job is altogether different. We need to purely rely upon the civil services examinations format.

M. A. Hyderabad