Islamabad: NAB to check graft in housing societies

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has made a comprehensive action plan by framing detailed instructions for the housing societies, development authorities and regulatory bodies to check rampant corruption in this sector.

NAB, in consultation with Central Directorate of National Savings and State Bank of Pakistan, is also carrying out a study aimed at reducing the misuse of prize bonds.

According to a NAB report, prize bonds, an important instrument of national savings, have been misused by the unscrupulous elements as revealed during NABs investigation over the years.

The report highlights several initiatives undertaken by the Bureau to prevent corruption in some key sectors, having direct bearing on the general public.

The areas where NAB carried out preventive interventions, including health and housing sectors, prevention of misuse of prize bonds, establishment of vigilance units in the ministries, divisions and departments, revised declaration of income and assets proforma, capacity enhancement and uniformity of laws and procedures of the provincial anti-corruption establishments as enshrined in the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

The report says that regional offices of the NAB were tasked by the Awareness and Prevention (A&P) Division during 2007 to carry out a consultative study of the nature and extent of corruption in the health sector and submit recommendations to improve the system of delivery of services.

The areas studied by the regional offices of the NAB include hospital management, health workers and patient interface, the provincial TB control programme, primary health care, national maternal and child health programme, procurement of medicine and equipments, drug registration, pricing and control. The final report and recommendations of the study group are expected soon.

As a long-term measure to stem the menace of corruption, National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) is being implemented in letter and spirit in consultation with all stakeholders.

The report says that some of the recommendations of the NACS being implemented are the establishment of vigilance units, computerised assets declaration and the monitoring mechanism, capacity enhancement and uniformity of procedures of the provincial anti-corruption establishment.

Model anti-corruption agencies the world over accord preference to awareness and prevention to enforcement. NAB is also cognizant of this approach and has undertaken several initiatives to achieve this end as reflected in the NAB annual report 2007 recently presented by its chairman, Nawid Ahsan.

Source: The Post