Punjab Additional Chief Secretary Shumail Ahmed Khawaja has taken notice of the unnecessary delay in the disposal of 22000 cases, pending with the provincial Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), and directed to formulate an effective system of accountability and evolve amendments in the existing rules and regulations for this purpose within a week.
Addressing a meeting regarding the performance of ACE at Civil Secretariat, Shumail Ahmed Khawaja expressed concern over the fact that there is no timeframe under the existing rules and regulations for completion of departmental inquiries in the cases of serious nature and bringing corruption cases to their logical end.
He said that due to delay in inquiries against government officials for a long period, the concerned officers have to face problems in promotion while the image of some officers involved in bogus cases due to personal grudge is tarnished.
The additional chief secretary directed the authorities to send challans of cases of corruption and irregularities in which there is ample evidence so that action could be taken against the corrupt elements and the honest government officers facing bogus cases could be saved from victimisation.
He also expressed concerns over the low conviction rate on challans sent by the ACE to courts and said that such cases in which the accused gets acquittal from courts due to insufficient evidence should be closely monitored. The additional chief secretary also directed the preparation of a draft law for amendments in rules and regulations of the ACE so that investigation officers could be bound to complete inquiries on time.
