PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to replace the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) with an independent and more powerful Anti-Corruption Authority to curb corruption in the governance system.
The decision has been made during a meeting held with Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in the chair. Besides, Advisor on Anti-Corruption Brigadier Musaddiq Abbasi (Retd), cabinet members, chief secretary, and other senior officials also attended the meeting.
Under a proposed law, the Anti-Corruption Establish-ment will be replaced with an independent and more powerful Anti-Corruption Authority. The chief minister directed officials to finalize the draft of the Anti-Corruption Force Act and present it for approval at the earliest.
Briefing the meeting about the proposed structure and new legislation, concerned authorities informed that the proposed law aims to effectively tackle white-collar crimes.
Under the proposed law, a dedicated anti-corruption force will be established under this law, with professionals recruited on merit through the Public Service Commission. The new organizational structure will include six regional and two sub-regional offices, staffed by specialists in relevant fields who will build strong legal cases against corruption.
The restructuring is expected to significantly improve conviction rates, increasing them from the current 1-2% to 80%. The new system will also enhance recovery mechanisms, raising direct recoveries from Rs 100 million to Rs 500 million annually and indirect recoveries from
Rs 2 billion to Rs 5 billion per year.
Additionally, the handling of registered complaints and ongoing investigations will be expedited.
The draft law has been developed in line with national and international anti-corruption strategies, focusing on awareness, prevention, and enforcement. Measures will also be introduced to penalize false complaints and ensure witness protection. Furthermore, the new force will have a robust internal accountability system.
Chief Minister Gandapur Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has emphasised that strengthening the anti-corruption system aligns with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) manifesto adding that the objective of this initiative is not only to eliminate corruption but also to prevent undue harassment of individuals.
The government, he added, remains committed to a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, following the vision of PTI’s founding chairman.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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