Fighting corruption is Jihad, says PM

Terms graft elimination top priority of his govt

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Saturday the elimination of corruption was the foremost priority of the government and directed officers of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) of Punjab to go after the big fish.

Chairing a briefing on the performance of ACE Punjab and later during a meeting with Director General Anti-Corruption Ijaz Hussain Shah in Lahore, Khan stressed the need for indiscriminate action against the corrupt elements.

“Corruption cannot go along with the journey of national development,” the prime minister told Shah. He said he believed corruption had not only inflicted irreparable damage to the national economy but also affected national institutions and the common man.

Earlier, Khan directed the ACE officers to go after the big fish first. He advised them to maintain their credibility and become a role model in the fight against corruption. He also asked them to ensure the rule of law which provided a basis for a civilised society.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shahzad Akbar, Punjab chief secretary and inspector general of police, and the ACE Punjab director general and directors attended the briefing.

ACE Director General Ijaz Hussain Shah apprised the prime minister about the mission, administrative structure, legal framework, enforcement, human resource and achievements against financial corruption and recoveries by the department.

He also briefed the meeting about the measures being taken for improving the institutional mechanism, bridging the human resource constraints and increasing the professional capabilities of the officers to deal with white collar crimes.



The prime minister said that in the prevailing circumstances, the professional duties being performed by the ACE officers were a 'Jihad'. “The unprecedented corruption committed in the past has compelled the country to face economic crisis and take loans,” he said.

“Owing to corruption, Pakistan has been lagging behind other countries in the region and the future of its next generations is at stake,” the prime minister said. He directed the officers to perform their duties without any fear or pressure.