KARACHI: Expressing concern over the performance of Enquiries and Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), interim Chief Minister retired Justice Maqbool Baqar on Saturday directed its chairman to make the provincial anti-graft watchdog a trustworthy, hardworking and efficient organ of the government.

Presiding over a joint meeting of the ACE and the Chief Minister Inspection and Enquiries Team (CMIET), Justice Baqar also showed dissatisfaction over the conviction rate of corruption cases and asked the ACE to improve its performance.

A CM House spokesperson stated in a statement that the chief minister gave these directions and observations after the ACE chairman Zulifiqar Shah briefed him about the performance of the organisation during the past five years.

The ACE chief told the CM that the organisation had paid 328 surprise visits to different government departments, conducted 158 raids, trapped 59 suspects, registered 759 cases and filed charge sheets against accused persons in 725 cases, 65 of whom had been convicted.

ACE filed charge sheets against 759 accused in five years but only 65 were convicted, CM told

The chief minister said that the ACE would have to improve its performance. “The convection rate is not satisfactory,” he said, adding that there was a dire need for capacity building and training of the ACE officers. He also directed the chief secretary to ensure the holding of regular Anti-Corruption (I, II & III) meetings.

The ACE chairman told the CM that the ACE was a special agency for the investigation of certain offences relating to corruption by public servants or their misconduct and holding preliminary enquiries against such servants in the province.

The other functions of the Anti-Corruption Establishment include inquiring and investigating cases of corruption in government departments, the public sector, corporations and semi-government organisations.

He said that the total sanctioned strength of the Anti-Corruption Establishment was 1,416, against which only 679 employees were working and 742 posts were lying vacant.

The chief minister directed the ACE chief to abolish non-technical posts and, in their place, create posts of investigators, and technical officers who could investigate the cases, prosecute them properly in the courts and prepare proper files.

The interim CM said that he was not satisfied with the recruitment being made through a third party. “I want you to send a request to the Sindh Public Service Commissioner and make its recruitment through them,” he said.

100-day inspection plan

The chief minister also asked the CMIET to launch a ‘100-day Inspection Plan’ for all government offices including hospitals, schools, municipalities and development authorities across the province.

Justice Baqar assigned the CMIET a 100-day inspection plan that included the inspection of DHQ/Civil Hospitals Qambar, Matiari, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad and Ghotki.

The inspection of registration and transfer of property processes in Larkana, Sukkur, Karachi West, Hyderabad and Lyari Development Authority would also be conducted.

The CM also assigned the CMIET to inspect major schools, colleges, university campuses, and STEVTA Institutes at Umerkot, Jacobabad, Sujawal, Central Karachi, Tando Mohammad Khan and Benazirabad.

Under the 100 Day inspection plan, the inspection of water management in Thatta, Sanghar, Malir, Mirpurkhas and Badin would also be conducted.

The inspection of municipal services at Dadu, Naushehroferoz, Kotri, Shikarpur and Sukkur; agriculture and livestock services in districts Tharparkar, Kashmore and Jamshoro and development and rehabilitation works in flood-hit areas would also be conducted.

In the 100-Day Plan, the inspection of district accounts offices of Thatta, Hyderabad, Sanghar and Matiari and police stations in districts Korangi, Tando Allahyar and Karachi South would also be done.

CMIET Chairman Rafiq Buriro said that since 2018, 57 inquiries and 187 inspections had been carried out by the team.

The CM said that CMIET’s performance should be more impressive.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2023