National Accountability Bureau (NAB)

The National Accountability Bureau is Pakistan’s apex anti-corruption organization. It is charged with the responsibility of elimination of corruption through a holistic approach of awareness, prevention and enforcement. It operates under the National Accountability Ordinance-1999. With its headquarter at Islamabad, it has seven regional offices at Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Multan and Sukkur. It takes cognizance of all offences falling within the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).

For the initial three years, the focus of its functions was directed only at detection, investigation and prosecution of white-collar crime. Those prosecuted include politicians, public service officials and other citizens who were either guilty of gross abuse of powers, or through corruption had deprived the national exchequer of millions or resorted to other corrupt practices. In February 2002, NAB launched the National Anticorruption Strategy (NACS) project. The NACS team conducted broad based surveys, studied external models of international anti-corruption agencies and involved local stakeholder.

The bureau has two principal officers: the Chairman NAB and the Prosecutor General of Accountability in Pakistan. The Chairman is the head of investigation, and serves a four-year term. The Prosecutor General is the head of prosecution, and serves a three-year term.