Overhaul: Government plans to restructure ACE along modern lines

PESHAWAR:

The provincial government has formed a parliamentary committee to revamp and restructure the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) along modern lines.

This was stated in a handout issued on Friday. As per the document, the committee comprises Senior Minister for Irrigation Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao, Minister for Public Health Engineering Shah Farman, Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi and Parliamentary Secretary for ACE and Chief Minister Inspection Team’s Dr Haider Ali Khan.

“The secretaries for law, establishment, finance and the communication and works departments will also be members,” the handout stated.

The terms of reference of the committee will include proposals for the revision of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 in line with modern-day requirements.

A comparative analysis of the West Pakistan Anti-Corruption Establishment Ordinance 1961 and similar laws in other provinces of the country and the rest of the world is also on the agenda.

“Other tasks will include determining the mandate, role, responsibilities and limitations applicable to the ACE after the introduction of the Ehtesab Commission to K-P,” the document read.

According to the document, the committee will also look into proposals to include voluntary return and plea bargain in addition to revisiting the ACE’s role in action against corruption.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2016.