Islamabad: Candidates for any kind of elections in the country would
have to go through a thorough scrutiny of National Accountability Bureau
(NAB) as it has written to the Election Commission of Pakistan on
Wednesday.
According to well-placed sources, the NAB through a
letter has asked the Commission to provide “information pertaining to
the candidates who file the nomination documents to contest any kind of
elections in future within the meaning of the Election Laws.”
Notwithstanding
the letter mentions about the future elections, the NAB sources told
Online that the Bureau would also seek records of the previous
elections’ contestants. “It would not be an unusual movement on part of
the NAB but simple application of law in retrospect especially on
eligibility cases,” the sources added.
In case one is
apprehended as culprit of misfiling of the required information, the NAB
would move according to the prescriptions in its law. “Not only that
the person in question would be removed from the elected position as
being disqualified, but also the NAB would ensure recovery of
remunerations and perks drawn therein.
The documents, NAB has
sought from the Election Commission includes nomination papers submitted
under the Political Parties Order 2002 and People Act 1976 and details
of assets and liabilities under No 3 of the Conduct of Election Rules
1977.
Besides these essentials about the candidates, the NAB has
also sought from the Commission the input received from various
authorities and organizations for the sake of verification. Under the
laws mentioned in the letter, the Commission is also required to update
the NAB regarding details of forged/fake/improper education
qualification degrees established through the verification process
undertaken by the Commission and legal/punitive action so taken.
The
sources told Online that the Commission required providing particular
information to the NAB on occurrence as well as need basis. The NAB
would independently verify the candidates’ provided information from
Federal Board of Revenue and other relevant organizations, the sources
added.
According to the NAB letter to the Commission, the
request is made under Section 18(b) (iii) read with Section 22(a), 27,
and Section 33C of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO). The Section
18 (b) states “A reference under this Ordinance shall be initiated by
the National Accountability Bureau on (i) a reference received from the
appropriate authority of the government, (ii) receipt of a complaint; or
(iii)[its] own accord.
In the Section 22, “The Chairman NAB may
[inquire into and] investigate any such offense, which appears to him
on reasonable grounds to involve [an offense under Ordinance, and has
been referred to him, or of his own accord.
Similarly, the
Section 27 prescribes , “The Chairman NAB, [for an officer of the NAB
duly authorized by him] have the power to seek full and complete
assistance and call for all or any documents and information relevant to
or in connection with any matter or [inquiry or investigation] put
before the NAB [or disposal of any property surrendered to or seized by
the NAB] from department of the Federal Government, Provincial
Government, local authority, bank, financial institution, person or any
authority and institution or department in the public or the private
sector as he may deem it fit and proper to demand or require, provided
in any case in which a question f secrecy in involved or is raised at
any time, the [Chair of NAB’s] decision shall be final.
Last but
not the least, the Section 33 states, “The Chairman NAB, shall from
time to time as he deems fit, constitute committees comprising officers
of the NAB or other persons or organizations from the private or the
public sector to (a) educate and advise public authorities, holders of
public office and the community at large or measures to combat
corruption and corrupt practices; (b) develop, arrange, supervise,
participate in or conduct educational programmes or media campaigns;
(c)examine the laws in force, and also rules and regulations relating to
the practice and procedures of various ministries, department of the
Federal Government or Provincial Government, statutory or other public
corporations or bodies, and the conduct of holders of public office and
to recommend amendments in such laws, rules or regulations, as the case
may be, in order to eliminate corruption and corrupt practices; (d)
instruct, advise, and assist any statutory or other public corporation
or bodies or upon request, any organization in the private and public
sector on measures for the reduction and elimination of corruption and
corrupt practices; and monitor the implementation of instructions and
advice as aforesaid and to assess and evaluate the success or otherwise
of such instructions and advice on the reduction and elimination of
corruption and corrupt practices. Online
