ISLAMABAD: A local court on Friday sent Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Chairman Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali and another senior official to jail on judicial remand in a case involving allegations of illegal recruitment, abuse of authority, and corruption.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) produced the PARC chairman and Ikhlaq Malik, Director Establishment, PARC, after the expiry of one-day physical remand before the judicial magistrate, Ahmed Shehzad Gondal.
At the start of the hearing, the FIA prosecutor requested that the court to extend the physical remand of the accused for one day but the court turned down the agency’s request.
Former president Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) Riasat Ali Azad appeared before the court on behalf of the accused.
The defence counsel, arguing before the court, said that they objected to prosecution’s plea for further extension in the physical remand and requested the court sent the accused on judicial remand.
The PARC chairman illegally appointed 332 individuals against only 164 sanctioned positions, he said, adding that the FIA has registered a case against Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali along with 18 other PARC officials. This investigation was initiated after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) referred the matter of irregularities in PARC appointments to the FIA for action, he said. The accused including officers/officials of PARC nominated in the first information report are including Ghulam Muhammad Ali, chairman, PARC, MujahidMujatab, Assistant Director, HR, PARC, Dr Muhammad Asim, PSO/Director (PSD)/PARC, Ikhlaq Malik, Director (Estt), PARC, Dr Shehzad Asad, Deputy DG, PARC, Shahid Maqsood Gill, Member Natural Resources Division, PARC, Ghulam Sadiq Afridi Member (SSD) PARC.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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