Wealth statements of all candidates to be scrutinised: ACC chief

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Iqbal Mahmood yesterday said the anti-graft watchdog will scrutinise wealth statements of all the candidates who are going to contest the upcoming general election.

 “It's mandatory to submit wealth statements of candidates and their dependents through affidavit during the submission of nomination papers. The ACC will scrutinise the wealth statements to see whether there is any issue of illegal wealth,” he said while talking to reporters at his office in the capital.

The ACC chief expressed his firm belief that no candidate will give any false information in the wealth statement to any government, constitutional and statutory organisations.

 “The ACC will also try to collect all wealth statements from National Board of Revenue and other related organisations,” he said. The collected information will be verified properly, he added.

Iqbal Mahmood said the country's people expect an honest and moral leadership.

He also urged all to stand against corruption, saying, “Or else, the development trend cannot be sustainable.”

About the celebrations of International Anti-Corruption Day to be observed on December 9, the ACC chief said people do not want corruption.

 “They want corruption-free services. Our oath of the International Anti-Corruption Day will be to make all-out efforts to prevent corruption before it takes place.”