NAB Chief Demands End to Rs500m Corruption Limit

Pakistan’s top anti-corruption authority has called on lawmakers to strip away legal amendments that restrict its jurisdiction, warning that current laws leave the agency powerless against widespread public sector financial misconduct. Speaking before a parliamentary committee, the head of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) argued that setting a high financial threshold for investigations effectively grants impunity to corrupt officials.

During a session of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, NAB Chairman retired Lt Gen Nazir Ahmed voiced strong concerns over legislative changes that bar the bureau from prosecuting cases involving less than Rs500 million. He cautioned that if these statutory limits remain in place, public servants will become emboldened to engage in routine graft with little fear of accountability from the premier anti-graft watchdog.

The statutory cap, introduced through recent statutory revisions, forced the bureau to relinquish and reassign numerous active corruption inquiries to other regulatory bodies and law enforcement institutions, including the Federal Investigation Agency. Bureau officials pointed out that the current legal framework severely diminishes their investigative reach, rendering local police station commanders more empowered to take action than specialized accountability officers.

Addressing the broader landscape of financial crime in the country, the NAB leadership highlighted that private enterprise contributes significantly to systemic irregularities, accounting for nearly forty-five percent of corruption cases. The watchdog’s legal officers briefed lawmakers on the specific provisions of the amended statute, reiterating the urgent need for structural legislative revisions to restore full investigative powers.