The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government is preparing to transform the Anti-Corruption Establishment into a more powerful and autonomous Anti-Corruption Force (ACF), aiming to address white-collar crimes and hold even the chief minister accountable, The News reported. Â
The proposed ACF will bring legislative changes, allowing the recruitment of expert investigators from the market and the establishment of special anti-corruption courts to expedite trials. The move follows the failure of the KP Ehtesab Commission, which was disbanded after spending nearly Rs1 billion without delivering significant results.
The initiative was led by Adviser to the Chief Minister on Anti-Corruption Brig (R) Musadiq Abbassi, who outlined a three-tier strategy for the force focusing on awareness, prevention, and enforcement. He emphasised that the ACF would operate independently, with a zero-harassment policy while tackling corruption cases with trained professionals.
Dismissing comparisons with the defunct Ehtesab Commission, Abbassi clarified that this is not a new institution, but a restructuring of the existing anti-corruption setup. He also noted that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) now handles only cases involving Rs500 million or more, leaving a gap that the ACF is expected to fill.
One of the key objectives of the ACF is to increase the conviction rate in corruption cases, which currently stands at just 1-2 percent. In Bannu, there have been zero convictions in 20 cases, while only two out of 26 cases in Peshawar resulted in convictions. The government aims to raise this rate to 80 percent through dedicated courts and streamlined prosecution procedures.
The new body will have broader investigative powers, including recovering embezzled funds, scrutinizing wealth accumulation, and handling public fraud cases. It will also be subject to oversight through an Ehtesab Committee, ensuring accountability within the ACF itself. Courts will be tasked with limiting trial durations and penalizing frivolous complaints, while a witness protection system will be introduced to support investigations.
However, opposition leaders have criticised the plan, arguing that without political will, the ACF will fail like past anti-corruption bodies.
