In a recent development, the State Bank of Pakistan has placed an order for all banks to not receive service charges from the public on any government utility. This development was put in motion when the Traffic Police started receiving numerous complaints, following the introduction of E-Challan, about banks receiving service charges for collecting the fines.
Upon heeding the complaints, Lahore chief traffic officer (CTO) wrote a letter that addressed the State Bank of Pakistan, requesting them to withdraw additional tax imposed on E-challan payment. SBP, in honor of the request, has issued a notification addressing the concerned parties to refrain from charging additional tax amounts from the citizens.
Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Lahore’s Regional Director Ahmer Sohail Kaifi has said that dedicated teams have been formed to apprehend those involved in corruption of this nature. The formation of the team has begun yielding positive outcomes as the ACE teams have already arrested three offenders.
As per the reports, the ACE team raided the C&W Department in Lahore and caught the Communication and Works Head Clerk Javaid who was trying to get a person to bribe him in order to get his firm registered. In another operation, ACE apprehended Khuram Shoukat who was trying to make fake documents to snatch a widow’s property in Johar Town, Lahore.
Also, ACE booked Imran Arshad, a building inspector in the Shalimar zone, Lahore, who was convicted of aiding a person in building an illegal commercial plaza in the area.
The government of Punjab has been appearing on the news quite a lot as of late with the series of promising developments in the area. However, only time will be the judge of the effectiveness of these developments.
