Interim CM seeks digital solutions to all inquiries and investigations

Sindh caretaker chief minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar on Saturday observed that the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) and the CM’s Inspection & Enquiries Team (CMIET) are understaffed. He directed them to abolish their non-technical posts, and appoint investigators and technical persons so that the performance of both can be improved.

In a joint meeting with ACE and CMIET officials that he chaired at the CM House, Baqar ordered the CMIET to start a 100-day inspection plan for all government offices, including hospitals, schools, municipalities and development authorities.

ACE Chairman Zulfiqar Shah said ACE is a special agency for investigating certain offences relating to corruption or enquiring into misconduct of public servants and holding preliminary enquiries against erring government staffers in the province.

He said that other functions of ACE include enquiring into and investigating cases of corruption in government departments, public sector corporations and semi-government organisations. The total sanctioned strength of ACE is 1,416 but 742 posts are vacant, he added.

Baqar directed ACE to abolish non-technical posts and create posts of investigators and technical officers who can investigate cases, prosecute guilty officials properly in courts and prepare proper files on corruption cases.

He said he is not satisfied with recruitment being made for ACE through a third party. “I want you to send a request to the Sindh Public Service Commission and conduct recruitment through the commission.”

He directed ACE to evolve an automated digital system to digitally maintain a complete record of the corruption cases they investigate. He also directed Shah to make ACE a trustworthy, efficient, hard-working and smart government organ.

Shah said that between 2018 and 2023 ACE paid 328 surprise visits, conducted 158 raids, registered 759 cases, submitted charge sheets in 725 cases and saw 65 guilty staffers being convicted.

Baqar said ACE would have to improve its performance because its conviction rate is not satisfactory. He said that there is a dire need for capacity-building and training of ACE officers and officials.

CMIET Chairman Rafiq Buriro said that the main functions of the CMIET include ensuring good governance, public service delivery, transparency, efficiency, and enforcement of office discipline and punctuality at government offices.

Baqar directed the CMIET to develop digital solutions to monitor the attendance, presence and performance of government functionaries, and to ensure biometric and geo-tagged attendance of employees of all departments, including the police.

He said the CMIET should develop a digital dashboard and online interface for general and specific public complaints, their resolution and regular review. He added that the CMIET’s performance should be more impressive.

He directed the CMIET to optimise its functioning. He also directed the CMIET to complete all the pending enquiries, and inspection, verification and evaluation reports.

“The CMIET should focus on monitoring and inspecting departments affecting the maximum number of people, such as health, education, police, revenue, water management, municipal services, etc.”

The interim chief executive said the CMIET should work with government departments to develop SOPs for regular internal monitoring and inspections for better service delivery.

He assigned the CMIET a 100-day inspection plan, which includes the inspection of district headquarters and civil hospitals of Qambar, Matiari, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad and Ghotki.

He also tasked the CMIET with inspecting major schools, colleges, university campuses and technical education institutions in Umerkot, Jacobabad, Sujawal, Karachi, Tando Mohammad Khan and Benazirabad.

The inspection of municipal services in Dadu, Naushahro Feroze, Kotri, Shikarpur and Sukkur, and agriculture and livestock services in the Tharparkar, Kashmore and Jamshoro districts will also be conducted under the 100-day plan.

The meeting was also attended by Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, Finance Secretary Kazim Jatoi, Finance Special Secretary Shahmir Bhutto, ACE Director Shahzad Abbasi and Fatah Tunio.