QUETTA: The Anti-Cor­ruption Establishment, Balo­chistan, has been asked to register cases against officials of the Communications and Works and Health departments who are allegedly involved in “substandard construction work, misappropriation of funds and wasting of provincial resources” in seven projects of the Bolan Medical College (BMC).

The development projects of BMC were included in the PSDP of last seven years.

The Planning and Development (P&D) department on Tuesday moved a summary about the matter to Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani with the recommendation to register corruption cases against officials of the Communications and Works and Health departments.

Official sources said that the chief minister approved the summary and ordered registration of cases against the officials.

The development projects include works on BMC Complex Hospital, Sandeman Provincial Hospital, hostels for male and female house job doctors of BMC, BMC Thalassemia Centre, BMC Nursing Hostel and improvement and provision of facilities in six hospitals of Quetta.

The chief minister sought a report from the Planning and Development Department on the development projects carried out in the Bolan Medical College over the last seven years.

The development came a day after the provincial government decided to amend the provincial Anti-Corruption Act, 2010 to make the Anti-Corruption Establishment a more independent, empowered and effective institution.

Chief Minister Alyani took the decision at a meeting at which he reviewed the performance and working of the Anti-Corruption Establishment and approved some recommendations presented by the secretary of Services and General Administration Department and Director General Anti-Corruption.

The chief minister directed them to submit all recommendations in the form of summaries to the CM Secretariat for approval.

Principal Secretary to the CM Zahid Saleem, Information Secretary Shah Irfan Gharsheen, Director Anti-Corruption Ayaz Baloch and other officials concerned attended the meeting presided over by the chief minister.

The meeting was briefed about the rules and regulations, working and clauses of the Anti-Corruption Act.

The chief minister agreed to establish a technical inspection team in the Anti-Corruption Establishment and directed the director general anti-corruption to prepare recommendations in coordination with the communication and other technical departments. The recommendations would be presented to the cabinet for approval.

The meeting observed that there should be a balance in the provincial anti-corruption institutions and their limitations should be determined. It directed the officials concerned to prepare recommendations in consultation with the law department.

The chief minister directed all commissioners and deputy commissioners to convene a monthly meeting of the Anti-Corruption Review Committee at division and district levels and submit their reports to the CM Office.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Alyani said changes and improvements were needed in the existing laws and regulations to improve the performance of the institutions set up to eradicate corruption.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2020