LAHORE – The Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE) director general has sought a report from regional directors on pendency of inquiries and cases of 2010 and also asked the directors to give reasons behind the delay, sources in ACE told TheNation on Saturday.
According to the report received from the Gujranwala region, two inquiries and four cases are pending because of different reasons like request for re-investigation.
On November 4, 2009, an inquiry was launched against Mandi Bahauddin district officials. The probe was conducted by regional assistant director and dropped on June 1 next year. However, on the direction of Punjab ACE director general, the inquiry was reopened on January 26 and the task was assigned to the regional assistant director who was later transferred. The probe has been pending since then.
Another inquiry against former Gujrat tehsil administration official Gohar Rasheed has been pending with the ACE investigation deputy director since December 20, 2010, because the accused has gone abroad. The sitting TMO has been asked to direct the runaway official to visit the office of inquiry officer with relevant record.
A case against education department officials has been pending since November 3, 2010. The case (FIR No.3/10) was registered against Muhammad Ayub, Muhammad Asif and other officers of the Gujranwala Education Department on November 3, 2010. Though a judicial action was approved on March 27, the deputy director investigation was asked to re-investigate the case on May 18. After the inquiry officer’s transfer, the re-investigation was assigned to inspector (HQ) last week.
The second case has been pending against solid waste management officers since November 5, 2010. The case (FIR No 65/10) was registered against Dr Ajmal Hussain, Saeed Ahmad and Aslam Baloch on November 5, 2010. The deputy director investigation of Sialkot Camp led the probe. A judicial action was approved on August 8, 2011, but re-investigation in this case was ordered on March 26. The new inquiry officer moved a reference to the forensic science laboratory seeking the report, which is still awaited.