Punjab: CM mobilises anti-corruption institution, orders removal of 160 officials

[Naveed Yaseen]

Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has issued instructions for the removal of 160 officials of the Revenue and Police Departments from their posts and their appointment as OSDs besides the cancellation of bails of the corrupt government officials.

He was presiding over a meeting regarding the performance and scope of Anti-Corruption Establishment, Punjab, at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, here today.

The chief minister said he would not allow the ACE to sit idle while those officials against whom corruption cases had been registered moved freely on bail and continued to occupy their posts. He directed to remove 91 officials of the Revenue Department and 69 of the Police Department and appoint them as OSDs who were still working on their posts despite registration of cases against them on the charges of corruption. He said that a case was registered in the Anti-Corruption Establishment after charges against an official were proved in a formal inquiry, adding that to allow him continue serving on the same post was strange.

The chief minister directed the secretary prosecution and the director general Anti-corruption that bails of all such elements against whom cases had been registered in the ACE should be cancelled. He said the Anti Corruption Establishment would have to perform as an effective, autonomous and strong institution of accountability. He directed the appointment of honest and competent officers in the ACE as well as improving the efficiency of the institution. He also directed to evolve viable suggestion for amendment in the law for extending the scope of ACE to corporations, autonomous bodies, local body institutions and elected members of the district governments.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=125656