SAHIWAL: Revamp of anti-corruption institutions is being done and it’s time the big fish in the public-sector departments are hooked.

“High-profile cases in health and other public departments are our primary target,” says retired brigadier Muzaffar Ali Ranjha, Punjab Director General, Anti-Corruption Department.

He told the media that the department was being reorganised both in terms of ideas and practice.

He said investigation inspectors were burdened with low-profile cases affecting their outcomes and performances.

He said under new organisational structure each officer would not be awarded more than 20 cases and he would also be given “share” just as in NAB if mega corruption cases were dug out.

He said “secret internal teams” would be developed for checking corruption within departments and strict punishment awarded once corruption was proved.

He said poor representation within lower and higher judicial structures allowed criminals to escape and to counter this at least four legal officers would be deputed to present cases in courts. “Earlier one officer represented a department in court,” he said.

He said the regional offices would be brought under one roof including establishment of “Quick Disposal Desk”. He said the chief minister had approved better salary structure to discourage the trend of corruption in the department. Online complaint system would be introduced at the regional office, he said.

He said a new regional anti-corruption office would be set up in Sahiwal division.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2016