The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) observed the International Anti-Corruption Day. DG NAB Mirza Muhammad Irfan Baig was the chief guest. Director NAB Capt. (Retd) Muhammad Faheem Qureshi and other officers were also present on the occasion. A large number of the business community attended the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Mirza Muhammad Irfan Baig, Director General NAB said that his institution is working on a three-pronged strategy to curb corruption in Pakistan. It includes creating better awareness among the people about the harmful effects of corruption, taking preventive measures against corruption, and improving the NAB laws to ensure their strong enforcement. He said that the situation of corruption in Pakistan is not as bad as it is highlighted. The majority of officers in Pakistan want to avoid corruption, while a few officers benefit from it. As a whole, Pakistani society is not corrupt, which is promising. He said that the corruption of a Hindu Seth in the battle of Plassey enabled the British to rule over the sub-continent for 200 years, which shows the extent of its ill effects. He said that NAB is reaching out to the students, teachers, members of the business community, and civil society to sensitize them about corruption. Messages on anti-corruption were delivered in the sermons of last Friday prayers across the country. He said that necessary amendments are being made to the Cooperative Act to eliminate corruption in private housing societies. He resolved that NAB will continue to work with all stakeholders to eliminate corruption from the society.

Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that corruption always keeps countries underdeveloped, so corruption has to be eradicated to make Pakistan a developed, prosperous, and great country. He urged the business community to always discourage speed money. Societies invested in corruption cannot attract investment, so to make Pakistan an attractive country for investment, corruption must be eradicated. He said that together with NAB, ICCI is ready to start a campaign against corruption from Islamabad, which can be extended to other parts of the country later on. He assured that ICCI will cooperate with NAB to end corruption from society.

Capt. (Retd) Muhammad Faheem Qureshi, Director NAB said that it is easy to criticize NAB, but this agency has collected 600 to 800 billion rupees and deposited it in the national treasury. NAB will continue its efforts to eradicate corruption from society for which it needs the support of all stakeholders.

Engr. Azharul Islam Zafar, Vice President ICCI said that if society boycotts corrupt people, it can be discouraged in the country. He said that more seminars and awareness programs should be organized to sensitize society about the harmful consequences of corruption.

Zafar Bakhtawari, former President ICCI and Secretary General UBG Pakistan said that one of the reasons for the spread of corruption is that people don’t hate corruption. He said that the development and prosperity of Pakistan is related to the elimination of corruption, so NAB should conduct awareness campaigns about corruption in collaboration with the important chambers of commerce of the country to eliminate it from society and put Pakistan on the path of rapid development.