Zero tolerance: Punjab to launch fresh push against corrupt ‘babus’

On CM Buzdar's directives, officers facing ongoing graft inquiries will not be allowed to serve

LAHORE: The Punjab government’s anti-graft campaign will take on a new dimension by removing bureaucrats who are facing corruption inquiries. In a move aimed at eradicating corruption from the bureaucratic machinery in the province, the government plans to freeze the appointment of all police and civil officers who are currently being probed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the top anti-graft body in the country.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the provincial administration has started screening and listing all such officials who are facing an investigation over corruption and malpractice. “On the directives of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, officers facing corruption inquiries will not be allowed to serve on key posts in the future,” said Additional Chief Secretary Punjab, Sardar Aijaz Jaffar.”The government has decided to adopt a zero-tolerance policy against corrupt officers,” he added.

The move falls in line with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s flagship policy of zero-tolerance for corruption. The arrest of corrupt politicians and a nationwide crackdown against corruption has been the hallmark of the PTI government.

During last year’s bitterly contested national election, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s main promise was to eradicate graft in the country. He pledged to bring back billions allegedly parked in foreign banks.

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In a bid to eradicate corrupt practices within its ranks, a year later, the Punjab government has started documenting information about all ongoing NAB inquiries and probes within departments.  Once compiled, the administration plans to use the data to terminate corrupt officials.

“The administration is compiling information about officials at the civil secretariat, including the secretaries posted across the province, section officer, commissioner, additional commissioner, deputy commissioner, revenue, police, jail, cooperative, irrigation and municipal official,” An official privy to the development told The Express Tribune.

“The information is being collected to determine the duration of inquiries and to review the legal position and status of all probes,” he added.

In addition to the long list of provincial bureaucrats, the government has issued the transfer orders for officials of the anti-corruption establishment who currently face probes.

To expedite the Punjab government’s drive against rampant venality, the Anti-Corruption Establishment has started updating the information about all officers on the provincial payroll. “We are updating the data related to officials facing inquiries,” said Anti-Corruption Establishment Director-General Muhammad Gohar Nafees. “The department was also conducting an in-house audit to get rid of corrupt officials,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2019.