ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid has said that the names of accused in corruption cases pending with the National Accountability Bureau cannot be made public.

In reply to a question submitted to the National Assembly secretariat by MNA Saifullah Magsi about charges against the accused, the minister quoted section 78 (e) and 78 (u) of the constitution and said: “Names of persons facing pending cases cannot be disclosed.”

He, however, gave details about the number of pending cases and their nature. He said 1,259 cases were pending with the NAB. Of these 984 are at the stage of inquiry and 275 at investigation level.

The minister said pending cases were related to corruption, including misuse of authority by public office holders, cheating public at large, bank loan default, misappropriation of public money, embezzlement of government funds and illegal gratification. The NAB chairman is unhappy over non-disposal of cases and recently chalked out an action plan to address the issue.

A NAB spokesman said that a circular had been sent to the regional units of NAB, expressing concern that despite spending the taxpayer’s money the bureau had failed to lower the pendency rate. Over 300 cases against politicians belonging to the PPP, PML-N, MQM and PML-Q, bureaucrats and businessmen are pending with the NAB.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2014