Thursday 5 Nov, 2026
Metro53 - Lahore (Web Desk) — Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, has launched a decisive round of action against alleged corruption, financial irregularities, and embezzlement in government projects across the province. Numerous departments—ranging from the Food Department to Suthra Punjab, Sasta Atta Program, Lahore Development Program, Excise, Education, Health, Agriculture
According to Daily Pakistan, the Chief Minister of Punjab has issued clear directives stating that if a Commissioner, Secretary, Department Head, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Assistant Commissioner (AC), Director, or any other officer is directly or indirectly found involved in alleged fraud, financial irregularity, or corruption in any department, no leniency should be granted under any circumstances. Rather than holding only subordinate staff accountable, responsibility must also be fixed on the primary decision-makers and supervisory officers.
Sources state that the Chief Minister has instructed that whichever officer or official is proven involved during investigations must face legal arrest and departmental action, along with available legal and administrative measures, including removal from office and dismissal from service. This time, a decision has been made to expand the scope of accountability to top officials instead of merely making lower-level employees scapegoats.
The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab has been tasked with conducting even larger-scale operations. The Chief Minister of Punjab has issued instructions for indiscriminate action against officers, staff, and their facilitators involved in alleged corruption, as well as the recovery of losses caused to the national exchequer. According to sources, a clear message has also been sent to the Chief Secretary of Punjab to show no leniency and to act strictly according to the law against elements involved in corruption.
The case of alleged irregularities in beautification projects during the tenure of the former Deputy Commissioner of Khanewal has also come under investigation. According to sources, the former Deputy Commissioner was included in the investigation, while actions against several officers working under her have also been reported.
The Chief Minister has also taken notice of alleged irregularities in the Lahore Development Program. Investigations have commenced into the non-reconstruction of hundreds of roads in Lahore after laying sewerage, the use of sub-standard materials, and the alleged misuse of development funds. A confidential survey is also being conducted to determine the responsibilities of WASA, the Deputy Commissioner of Lahore, and the Metropolitan Corporation.
Scrutiny has also begun in the Planning and Development Department regarding allegations of project approvals, fund inclusion, release of funds, and favoring contractors. Investigations have further been launched into complaints regarding the setting of rates above market prices in major health sector development projects.
According to sources, the quality of execution in the Suthra Punjab project, Sasta Atta Program, Laptop Scheme, police department development projects, and road construction across the province is also being reviewed. The Special Branch has also been assigned the task of identifying alleged corruption and gathering relevant information.
It is worth noting that Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain had previously commented on alleged corruption in the Punjab government, stating that "cupboards are overflowing with files of corruption." Against this backdrop, the operations initiated by the Chief Minister of Punjab are being viewed as a major phase of the accountability process within the province's government departments.
(Note: Regarding conflicting reports about the former Deputy Commissioner of Khanewal, Maleeha Rashid, some sources claim she was arrested, while others assert she was detained but later released with instructions to join the investigation. Reports also indicate that Engineer Zain Baloch, who served under her, along with four others, have been arrested as part of the Punjab Chief Minister's strict crackdown on corruption.)
