Black money recovery in Punjab up by 532%

Adviser says Rs2.30b recovered in province in last 27 months

LAHORE:

Advisor to the PM on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar on Thursday said over Rs2.30 billion were recovered in the anti-graft drive in Punjab in the last 27 months, around 532% higher than the amount retrieved in the last 10 years.

“The PTI-led Punjab government had made the Anti-Corruption Establishment [ACE] an autonomous institution and as a result of that, its performance has improved,” Akbar said at a news conference accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

The adviser pointed out that only a sum of Rs430 million was recovered in the previous 10 years.

He further revealed that state lands worth Rs181 billion was recovered in the last two years – an increase of 6,172% in comparison with just Rs2.6 billion in the previous 10 years.

“The ACE remained under political influence during previous regimes. Its performance significantly improved now,” he added.

The adviser said the people would be the direct beneficiaries of the recoveries made by ACE as the amount would be spent on Sehat Insaf Cards, Ehsaas programme and the anti-Covid-19 drive.

“The mafia that used to benefit of such illegal activities would raise hue and cry over this drive,” he maintained.

“The state and the people have first right over the state lands and Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised that they [mafia] would not get any NRO in the Centre or any province,” he added.

“The plunderers would be held answerable for their misdeeds.”

Giving details, Akbar said 6,474 complaints were received through the Report Corruption mobile app of the Punjab government of which 5,196 complaints had been addressed.

“This [mobile app] was good initiative of the Punjab government and other provinces should also introduce it.”

The adviser maintained that action would be taken against every plunderer and it was not a party-specific activity.

He added that besides criminal proceedings, fines would also be imposed on those who occupied the state lands and took different benefits.

To another question, he said the PTI government believed in self-accountability and action would be taken against all those who had plundered national resources.

To another query, he disclosed that the British government had been approached for the deportation of convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif as he was a fugitive.

Speaking on the occasion, the Punjab CM said the PTI government had reformed the ACE.

“The government took action against the powerful mafia which snatched away public resources and kept the people deprived of even the basic resources during the last 30 years,” he added.

Buzdar said the ACE received 51,050 complaints, conducted 11,488 inquiries, registered 3,185 cases and arrested 3,904 criminals.

Explaining the reasons for fewer recoveries in the past, the Punjab CM maintained that influential people were occupying important posts.

“They kept the institutions under their influence and also occupied national resources,” he added.

“The government is retrieving these resources and returning them to the people.”

 

(With input from APP)