Punjab accounts for 65 percent of corruption

National Accountability Bureau Chairman Admiral (r) Fasih Bokhari on Friday said Punjab province accounted for 65 percent of corruption being done in the country, requesting an early cabinet meeting to mull ways to end the scourge. In a telephonic call to Law Minister Farooq H Naik, the NAB chairman asked for an early meeting of the cabinet for elimination of corruption, a NAB spokesperson said. Bokhari also desired that representative of the Punjab government be asked to attend the meeting since Punjab represents majority of the country and shared 65 percent of responsibility, the spokesperson added. However, a spokesman for the Punjab government said the statement of the NAB chairman was unclear and ambiguous. He said the NAB chairman should clarify against whom he was levelling the charge. “Is he linking corruption with the ratio of population, referring to this evil at departmental or patwari level or accusing the Punjab government?” the spokesman said. He said Bokhari should elaborate why he had targeted Punjab and why was he silent on the federal and other provincial governments. He said the Punjab government strongly denied allegations of corruption against the province, the chief minister, his cabinet or the political leadership and considered such statements condemnable. The spokesman said statements of international institutions like the World Bank and Transparency International were enough to refute such charges. He said the Punjab government had introduced clear and well-coordinated Citizens Feedback System for elimination of corruption and this system was proving effective for the eradication of the menace in police, revenue, land record and other departments.