LAHORE, Jan 10: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) arrested on Monday a Lahore Arts Council official for accepting bribe from a drama producer for allowing him to stage plays on the dates of his liking. ACE Director Maqbool Ahmed Langah told Dawn the department received a complaint from drama producer Muhammad Siddique that LAC Deputy Director (Programmes) Zulfiqar Zulfi had already extorted from him Rs60,000 (for giving him drama schedule of his liking) and was now demanding another Rs20, 000.

He said an ACE team led by a magistrate conducted a raid and recovered Rs20,000 from Zulfi after matching the currency note numbers given by the complainant.

Now under ACE interrogation, Mr Zulfi is also a known artiste and has held a number of art exhibitions. He has also won Pride of Performance. — Staff Reporter