March, 24 2005	Thursday	13 Safar 1426

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LAHORE, March 23: The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment has proposed certain amendments to the laws, rules and procedures of provincial departments to check corruption. An ACE draft proposal says the heads of the departments should be held responsible in corrupt practices prevailing in their set-up and in no case such responsibility be shifted. Ex-officio additional directors and additional secretaries of the administrative departments may be reactivated according to the provisions of the ACE rules.

If an ex-officio additional director or deputy director receives a complaint or gets information through a reliable source about a serious case which does not fall within the category of the notification issued under rule-4, he refers it to the director. This rule needs to be amended and modified to decentralize and empower the departments to investigate serious cases and make immediate recommendations for registration of a case.

If a case is referred under sub-rule (2), the director after examination may return it to the ex-officio additional director or deputy director concerned to deal with it. According to the proposal, the preliminary inquiry can be eliminated if the same is done by the administrative department with documentary or oral evidence and specific recommendation is made by ex-officio additional director or additional secretary.

The ACE also recommends that in every department a vigilance cell should be created to monitor the performance and reputation of its employees. When an inquiry is held by the ACE against a government employee (irrespective of his grade and status), he must be associated with the proceedings. If he (the suspect) fails to do so he may be placed under suspension till proceedings against him were finalized.

All the departments, authorities and corporations must prepare a compendium by compiling copies of the laws, rules, policies, instructions and procedures. It should be a priced publication and be available to every one and also updated annually by incorporating amendments. They should also appoint liaison officers, who should maintain a permanent register for inquiries and cases.

The establishment has proposed that it should be made mandatory for all departments and organizations to hold proper preliminary inquiries before submitting a formal reference to the ACE (to avoid any delay) in such cases. The inquiries must establish fixation of responsibility, calculation of loss, listing of documents and witnesses and the appointment of departmental representative.

The ACE asked the S&GAD to circulate necessary instructions to all provincial departments, authorities and corporations in this regard.

When contacted, the ACE head, Brig Aslam Ghuman (retired), said the draft proposal had been submitted to the chief minister who had directed the authorities concerned to incorporate these suggestions.