LAHORE, Aug 5: The Nation-al Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to hand over all ‘low-profile’ cases to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) of all the four provinces due to ‘severe economic crunch’.

According to a senior NAB officer, as the government withheld its over 80 per cent budget, the bureau could not accommodate more inquiries and cases, especially related to relatively “small amounts”, thus it was left with no other option but to refer the same to the ACE.

“We are handing over low-profile inquires and cases to the provincial ACEs and other departments,” NAB Punjab Director (investigation) Brig Farooq Hameed (retd) told Dawn on Tuesday.

Brig Hameed said NAB had also asked the federal government for immediate release of funds so that the bureau could work smoothly.

Despite the unfavourable circumstances, he said, the Punjab NAB alone filed 39 references in the accountability courts. He added the bureau was implementing accountability on merit and in a fair, just and neutral manner.

NAB has already stopped entertaining housing scams owing to the shortage of funds and staff. Its special operation wing established last year has also been wound up. The bureau has repatriated and sacked 126 officers and 191 lower grade officials so far because of the scarcity of funds. Its investigation is also being hampered because of removing half of the investigators.

Also, a source in NAB Islamabad confided to Dawn that the heads of NAB Sindh and Balochistan were posted against the National Accountability Ordinance. “They are of grade-20 officers while the ordinance requires a grade-21 officer,” he added.

A NAB spokesman said the director generals in question were regular employees of the bureau and holding the acting charge. Though they were of grade-20 officers but they were fully qualified to the next grade.

“They are holding the current charge (of DG) as per rules of service of the ordinance.”