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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Govt bets on Punjab DG ACE to check corruption

Sources close to Asghar said that in a meetings with ACE top officials, it was stressed the department effectively check corruption irrespective of party affiliation and without any political consideration.

By Ansar Abbasi
November 20, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is betting on reputed Husain Asghar- Director General of Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Punjab- to effectively check corruption in the province amid fears in certain quarters that the anti-graft body may be used to go after the Sharifs.

Sources said that the government has posed its confidence in Husain Asghar and some meetings of one of the most powerful people have been held with the Punjab ACE chief. Sources close to Asghar said that in a meetings with ACE top officials, it was stressed the department effectively check corruption irrespective of party affiliation and without any political consideration.

Husain Asghar has a repute of honest, upright and competent police officer. It is said that the present position is also a test for Asghar, who has to prove his independence and ensure that his department is not used to victimise the opposition.

It is said that the government is frustratingly trying to dig out from official files something concrete against Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif. A source, however, said that under Husain Asghar most of the inquiries initiated and FIRs lodged so far are against ruling coalition parties’ MPs including PTI and PML-Q. A senator from PML-N is also being probed by Punjab ACE.

Husain Asghar has been promoted to BS-22 ignoring another reputed officer A D Khawaja. It is believed that the government expects from Husain Asghar to launch a crusade against corruption in Punjab.

However, when PTI high-ups were approached for comments they said that the government doesn't want any kind of victimisation, adding that the powers of Punjab ACE were not increased by the government but the Supreme Court t. They said that in present times nothing remains secret for long, so there is no room for any political victimisation.

They said that if political opponents were targeted without any solid charges , the Punjab government will vehemently oppose it, as the victims will go to the court and the government would have to face embarrassment there.

Husain Asghar is retiring in the coming few months, a source said, adding that the government would want him to continue on contract basis as he is in good books the powerful personality.

Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has now got the powers even to arrest anyone on charges of corruption including chief minister, chief secretary, IGP or for that matter any other person without seeking any permission from anyone.

However, in the other three provinces, the Anti-Corruption Departments remain dormant and could not even initiate inquiry, lodge FIR or arrest any alleged corrupt without the permission of provincial chief executive, chief secretary and additional chief secretary as the case may be.

The Punjab ACE became powerful only after the incumbent ACE DG Husain Asghar approached the Supreme Court seeking suspension of certain clauses of ‘The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Rules 2014’, which made it mandatory for the provincial ACE to obtain chief minister/ chief secretary/ additional chief secretary’s permission before taking any action against bureaucrats, working in BS-18 and above.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar took up Asghar’s case on last Friday and suspended the rules. Husain Asghar approached the SC after the incumbent chief minister and top civil administration had turned down his recommendations to suspend the rules, which according to the ACE DG, were not only discriminatory but an impediment to check corruption.

Now after the SC’s decision, the Punjab ACE has become really powerful under Husain Asghar. The ACE DG had written a letter to Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, stating that all powers to initiate inquiry, lodge FIR and order an arrest should be vested with the office of the director general, instead of the chief minister, chief secretary and additional chief secretary.

Husain Asghar, through his counsel Mian Zafar Iqbal Kalanuri, had stated that it is compulsory for the ACE to take permission from the chief minister before initiating proceedings against any senior bureaucrat.

On the basis of Husain Asghar’s application, the Supreme Court had though suspended these powers of the chief minister, chief secretary and additional chief secretary, in other provinces the anti-corruption departments continue to be dependent on the provincial political and administrative top executives to initiate probe against senior bureaucrats.