PERA officials on graft radar

Punjab chief minister orders launch of body cam monitoring by June 30

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday ordered a crackdown against Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) officials involved in illegal activities and tarnishing the image of the organisation.  
Chairing a meeting, she warned that such personnel could face imprisonment instead of brief detention.
The chief minister directed authorities to ensure by June 30 that the PERA officials wear body cameras. She also ordered scrutiny of 4,000 officials. 
The CM directed authorities to upgrade PERA’s internal intelligence and whistleblower systems.
She said the record of every official would be examined thoroughly. The personnel with clean record.should remain confident, while those involved in wrongdoing should prepare to face action, she asserted, ordering exemplary punishment of elements defaming the force.
Officials informed the CM that PERA had secured International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) certification and the force’s sanctioned strength stood at 8,000, of which 4,711 positions had been filled through the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).
Training of PERA sub-divisional officers under the Punjab Administrative Service (PAS) will begin on June 1, while enforcement and investigation officers will receive training at Rescue 1122 and Police Training College. 
The officials said recruitment of 7,000 personnel would be completed by the end of next month.
Of 155 Enforcement Stations, 133 have become operational, while the remaining would be functional by June.
PERA is currently providing services in 15 fields, iincluding inspection of marriage halls, petrol pumps, market closing and other regulatory assignments.
As per a briefing, action against hoarding and profiteering has resulted in registration of 11 case, imposition of fines exceeding Rs20 million and arrest of 6,557 individuals. In anti-encroachment operations, 9,036 kanal of land have been retrieved, while over 262,000 raids had been conducted.
The officials said that in line with the chief minister’s policy, emphasis had been placed on corrective measures, with only 439 FIRs lodged. Officials said about 15 software systems were being integrated into the PERA 360 dashboard, all challans would be digitised and the conviction rate stood at 97 per cent.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered strict monitoring of the personnel through the dashboard and said PERA should be turned into a dedicated regulatory force.
A proposal to establish PERA’s own training academy in Kallar Kahar or Kotli Sattian was also discussed and the chief minister ordered completion of the work within a year.
Expressing concerns over the force’s discipline and reputation, she said any official found involved in corruption or misuse of authority should be made an example. 
She was informed that 1,356 inquiries had been initiated over disciplinary violations, 304 officials had been penalised and seven were being dismissed from service.
The chief minister said officers with questionable reputation should immediately be sent back to their parent departments, adding that no compromise would be made on public service.