LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the caretaker government of Punjab on a petition challenging Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 that clipped powers of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) to register cases against public servants.

Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel contended that the impugned ordinance limited the powers of the ACE and its officers requiring them to obtain a prior permission in writing from the government to register case against the public servants.

He said the secretary of the relevant department or the chief secretary or additional chief secretary Punjab would constitute a committee to examine the complaint and decide whether to grant permission to the ACE for registration of the case.

The counsel pointed out that the law also restrained the ACE from arresting any public servant without prior permission of the government. He argued that the impugned ordinance made the anti-corruption establishment a toothless and redundant body. He further argued that the caretaker government had no mandate to make such legislation and that too through an ordinance. He asked the court to set aside the impugned ordinance for being illegal and unlawful.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023