ISLAMABAD – Federal Investigation Agency makes big recovery worth billionsin anti corruption drive against public servants, Media Report has revealed.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has recovered Rs. 2.071 billionunder anti-corruption law. This was revealed by an FIA official whilebriefing the sub-committee of the National Assembly Standing committee oninterior, which met with Mohammad Yousaf Talpur in the chair. The committeediscussed the prevention of corruption (amendment) bill 2019 moved by SherAkbar Khan, MNA.
The FIA official said that 1,928 corruption cases were registered duringthe last three years including 752 in 2017, 701 in 2018 and 575 in 2019 sofar. He added that 1,659 cases were issued a challan and 506 resulted inincarceration.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s anti-corruption department informed the committee that73 FIRs were registered in 2016, 105 in 2017, 51 in 2018 and 49 in 2019. 39people were convicted in 2018 while 10 were convicted in 2019. Punjab didnot share the data, saying that they couldn’t collect it as they were shorton time.
Representatives from Sindh and Balochistan did not attend the meeting asthe committee meeting’s notice was issued too late according to the JointSecretary Interior.Prevention of Corruption (Amended) Bill 2019 Passed
A parliamentary panel has passed The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment)Bill 2019, proposing up to 10-year imprisonment with the objective tocontrol corruption and make the existing laws more effective.
A subcommittee of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior metwith Mohammad Yousaf Talpur in the chair here and considered ‘ThePrevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2019,’ moved by MNA Sher AkbarKhan.
The mover said that corruption threatens economic development, destabilizessociety and jeopardizes the rule of law. Public resources are meant forsocial welfare and to provide basic facilities like health, education andto develop infrastructure. These resources are being stolen through corruptpractices, increasing poverty and the suffering of citizens. Corruptionweakens service delivery, damages the reputation of the country and hindersforeign direct investment.
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Khan further said that to control corruption and to make the existing lawson the prevention of corruption more effective, punishments should beincreased.
The mover of the bill had proposed an amendment of section 2, section 5,section 5-B, 5-C to Act II of 1947 and proposed a maximum of 25-yearimprisonment as punishment.
The Interior Ministry maintained that The Prevention of Corruption Act 1947is the first law of Pakistan applicable to public servants for theircriminal misconduct. Although corruption is the root cause of most ills inthis country, the proposed punishments seem harsh and exaggerated as norationale has been provided for the proposed enhancement.
Section 4 of the prevention of corruption act 1947 says that:
The provision of this section shall be in addition to, and not inderogation of any, other law for the time being in force, and nothingcontained herein shall exempt any public servants from any proceedingswhich might apart from this section, be instituted against him.
Law Ministry supported the increase in punishment saying it will improvedeterrence but 25 years is too much. Later the committee passed the billwhile proposing a maximum punishment of up to 10 years.
