RAWALPINDI: Police is among the fourth most corrupt departments in Punjab with the revenue, local government and cooperative departments ranked first, second and third, respectively.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Rawalpindi said it received 1,200 complaints about corruption during its ongoing campaign launched in collaboration with the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO).

In this regard, a seminar on anti-corruption was held here on Monday which was attended by a large number of people. Regional Director ACE Arif Rahim, Additional Deputy Commissioner Saima Younus and Director SSDO Syed Kausar Abbas spoke on the occasion.

Mr Rahim said the ACE launched the awareness campaign in collaboration with SSDO 10 months ago and received over 1,200 complaints during the period.

He said after scrutinising the total number of complaints, 619 complaints were considered for further inquiry which was initiated.

He said out of the 619 complaints, 214 were against the revenue department, 100 against the local government and 37 against the police. The department is taking strict action against corrupt officials and some of them were caught red-handed from their offices during raids.

He said though the ACE had initiated inquires against police officials after receiving complaints against them, the police department had its own system of justice and had already sacked a majority of the officials found guilty of corruption.

Mr Abbas said the SSDO was doing its best to reduce corruption in public offices and supporting the campaign to create awareness among the citizens. The campaign included community activities such as holding seminars for youth and public offices, walks and displaying banners.

He said corruption can be addressed by using the Right to Information law that ensures transparency and openness in the public offices. Pakistan is at No 117th in the international index of corruption that is shameful for the country as well as its citizens, he added.

Ms Younus said the public offices in Rawalpindi believed in transparency and support the campaign to address the issues of corruption.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2018