Anti-Corruption Establishment faces crisis as key seats lie vacant

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) is faced with a severe administrative crisis since the most important posts in the department are vacant, impeding the provision of relief to the complainants, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.

It is learnt that after the transfer of ACE Director General (DG) Rai Manzoor on September 6, no regular appointment against the post has been made so far.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Capt (Retd) Asadullah Khan was given the additional charge of ACE DG. The Punjab government is yet to find a suitable officer for regular appointment against the post.

Also, no appointment has so far been made even against the most important post of additional ACE director general. Former additional ACE director general was transferred 22 days ago.

The post of the director of ACE Lahore Region A is also vacant since August 22 last. It is learnt that a tug of war between the chief minister’s adviser and the ACE officers is still underway.

Since the most important ACE posts are vacant, the doors of the department are practically closed for the complainants.

Citizens who came with complaints of corruption against various departments including Police, LDA, C&W and Revenue return with disappointment.

Meanwhile, a meeting headed by senior provincial minister Mian Aslam Iqbal decided to abolish Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) and merge it into Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA).

The meeting also sought a plan to construct houses on the land allocated for the PLDC projects. Mian Aslam Iqbal vowed to protect the interests of those who deposited money for acquiring houses in PLDC.

He directed the officers to come up with an out-of-box solution to the problem of the PLDC applicants within a week.

“Providing shelter to the homeless is the first priority of the government. The low-cost housing schemes are not to be approved only but to be built also,” he said.

“The government’s job is not to do business but to create business opportunities. The closure of the PLDC will not take away anyone’s job,” he added.

During the meeting, a business plan was also sought for placing the PLDC employees in PHATA or other institutions and making use of the company’s land.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shakeel Ahmed briefed the meeting about the PLDC projects and affairs. The PHATA director general and other officers concerned attended the meeting.

Reporters: Rizwan Naqvi, Ali Akbar