Not a crime to question when, how corruption was committed: NAB chairman
'Probing into corruption is not a crime, it is in the national interest of Pakistan'
May 10, 2018
PESHAWAR: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Thursday stressed that probing into corruption is not a 'crime'.
"It is not a crime to make queries about when and how corruption was done," the NAB chairman said while addressing a ceremony in Peshawar.
"We shall continue to do so even if it is considered a crime by anyone," he added in an apparent reference to prime minister Nawaz Sharif's criticism regarding an inquiry against him and others for allegedly laundering $4.9 billion to India.
Reiterating that corruption will not be tolerated anymore, Iqbal said, "Whatever the anti-graft body is doing is in the best interest of the country."
He further stated that the bureau had remained under its legal and Constitutional jurisdiction to do its job and it would continue to do so.
The bureau recently came under fire after Justice (retd) Iqbal ordered a probe into alleged money laundering by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and others which was highlighted by a column in a local publication.
The NAB had ordered an inquiry against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and others for allegedly laundering $4.9 billion to India earlier today. The NAB chairman had taken notice of a media report that claimed that the incident was mentioned in the World Bank’s Migration and Remittance Book 2016.
However, a press release issued by the World Bank on May 8 read, "The report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individuals."
According to the press release, the bank's Remittances and Migration Report was 'an effort [...] to estimate migration and remittances numbers across the world.'
The statement also referred to a press release issued by the State Bank of Pakistan that rejected estimates of US $4.9 billion remittances from Pakistan to India on September 21, 2016.
