LAHORE: The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Monday arrested Assistant Chief (Industries) Planning and Development Board Ahmed Muflehur Rehman, after he was held guilty of taking bribe in an initial inquiry conducted by P&D Board Secretary Dr Asif Tufail.

Setting an example of self-accountability, the P&D Board got its own assistant chief arrested on the basis of “solid and undeniable evidence of corruption”, a board spokesman said.

It is learnt that Muflehur Rehman was blamed for taking bribe to get some development schemes included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP). It is alleged that the assistant chief took Rs1.5 million bribe from a citizen assuring that the specific development schemes would be included in the ADP. However, he remained unsuccessful owing to the strong and transparent scrutiny system of the P&D Board, Punjab.

As the specific schemes did not reflect in the ADP projects, it is learnt, the person, who allegedly gave the bribe, reached the board offices and lodged a complaint along with evidence.

Getting information about this act, P&D Board Secretary Dr Asif Tufail conducted an initial inquiry and found the allegations of bribery true. Eventually, the secretary asked the ACE to arrest the assistant chief (industries). The ACE took the assistant chief in custody from office in the late afternoon, registered a case and launched further investigations.

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb appreciated P&D Board Chairman Barrister Nabeel Awan and Secretary Dr Asif Tufail for inquiring and taking a prompt action against its own officer while showing zero tolerance to corruption.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2025