The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment claimed to have arrested former Gujrat ADC(R) Rani Hifsa Kanwal on charges of corruption in the award of sand quarries contracts and illegal mutation of Cooperative Department land. She has also caused huge losses to the tune of millions of rupees to the public exchequer by abusing her authority.
According to ACE, Rani Hafsi, with connivance of contractors, had caused millions of rupees losses to the national exchequer and financial corruption case against her has been registered in Gujrat. Different departments had written to the high-ups against her corruption and abuse of authority besides her accumulation of assets including property, bank accounts and cars.
The ACE officials, seeking anonymity as they are not supposed to comment on the issue, disclosed that Dr Rani Hifsa, an officer of DMG 39 Common Batch, had bought precious plots and bungalows in the name of her sister, mother, father, brother and other close relatives, adding that she sold some the property for building a huge luxurious house in Lahore. They informed that the accused had benefitted private housing societies owners in violation of rules and regulations for financial gains.
She also abused her authority and turned a blind eye to the wrongdoings in the area of her supervision to favour her blued-eye persons, they added. They claimed that there were complaints regarding her corruption and abuse of authority since long and that’s why she was transferred from Gujrat.
The ACE has started investigation from Rani Hifsa Kanwal and further revelations are expected.
Meanwhile, the anti-corruption watchdog has also begun investigation into the affairs of Assistant Commissioner and Sub-Registrar who had worked under her supervision.
Sharing her accounts about the widespread corruption, especially in government department, a high-up, requesting not to be named, regretted that actually, roots of corruption lies in the very foundation of the prevailing political system. “Look, you even could not imagine controlling corruption in the current system of governance, leave alone its elimination”, she declared categorically, adding that you (departments) will spend precious time and resources on investigation against corrupt officers and politicians and will be able to prove their misdeeds….. but at the end of the day, some mighty minister or political party leader will barge in and {airlift} with a clean chat the accused who is if act a national criminal.
“The phenomenon of corruption and power abuse is common and widespread and can only be eliminated through a ruthless accountability,” she concluded.
