National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed 600 corruption references in various accountability courts during the last 22 months, said NAB Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal.

While chairing a meeting to review the performance of operation, prosecution, training, research, awareness and prevention divisions of NAB, he said NAB has devised an effective anti-corruption strategy to eradicate the menace of corruption from society.

He said that the figures of complaints, inquiries and investigations were almost double as compared to same period of 2018 to 2019.

He said that 1,210 corruption references were under-trial in different accountability courts that approximately valued at Rs900 billion.

Earlier, Justice Javed Iqbal said that the bureau would not pursue the cases pertaining to income tax or sales tax against members of business community.

He presided over a meeting during his visit to the regional headquarters of NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said that such existing cases against traders would be returned to Federal Board of Revenue as per the relevant law.

He said that business community was playing a role of backbone in development and prosperity of the country and deserved respect.

He said that NAB was business-friendly institution and gave top priority to solving the problems being faced by the business community.

The NAB chairman said that the bureau established separate cells at its headquarters and in all regional offices that were fully functional to focus on resolution to the problems of business community.

He said that NAB was committed to eradicate the menace of corruption by keeping in view self-respect of all the people including bureaucrats.