ISLAMABAD: Federal Investigation Agency Anti-Corruption Circle Lahore has arrested Saeed Ahmed Nawaz, Member Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), who remained managing director Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation Ltd (PASSCO) for his alleged involvement in wheat scam.
Later Tuesday evening, Member CCP was released by the FIA Court in Lahore with the observations that the official has been found innocent during the investigation. There is no iota of evidence available on record to connect the accused with the commission of the offence. The accused is hereby discharged from the mentioned case FIR. The investigating officer is directed to release the accused forthwith, District Court Lahore order added.
FIA Anti-Corruption Circle had registered a case for large-scale irregularities in the sale of PASSCO wheat and arrested seven accused including former MD PASSCO.
According to details, General Manager Commercial Shahid Ibrahim and General Manager Commercial Imran Nazir were arrested while Zonal Head Iftikhar Uddin, Buyer Muhammad Saeed and Nasir Ali were also arrested.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the secretary Establishment Division to initiate strict disciplinary and criminal proceedings against officials (serving or retired) involved in the incident of damage of wheat during floods of 2022 and allowed illegal relaxation in the tender conditions. The case of ex-managing director PASSCO i.e., Ex MD Capt. (retired) Saeed Ahmad Nawaz, (now Member CCP) were also be examined under relevant rules.
The instructions were given in a meeting that the prime minister chaired on July 24 to review the implementation of his previous orders on recommendations of Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission (PMIC) in the inquiry of wheat damages in PASSCO.
Observing that the relevant ministries were delaying the implementation on the earlier orders, the PM Office has issued a letter with clear responsibilities and timelines.
The letter stated that all ongoing inquiries, investigations, criminal proceedings against officials involved in malpractices during the wheat procurement drive shall be finalised during a week time. The DG FIA, DG IB Division and secretary National Food Security are responsible for taking actions.
The prime minister had also assigned the Chairman Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission (PMIC) to probe the element of wheat theft on the pretext of damage of wheat during floods.
The prime minister has taken strict exception on purposefully delaying tactics by the Secretary Establishment and chairman National Food Security the implementation on the recommendations of PMIC in its inquiry of wheat damages.
The PMIC has recommended to refer the cases of two managing directors of PASSCO for apparent inefficiency and corruption, which resulted in billions of rupees in losses due to wheat damage and poor financial governance, to the NAB or FIA for further investigation.
The PM Office, while endorsing the recommendation, wrote to Secretary Establishment Inamullah Khan Dharejo for initiating action and framing charge sheet in consultation with secretary National Food Security and chairman PMIC.
The PMIC recommendations that proposed include reconstitutions of PASSCO Board, appointment of an efficient MD and revaluate the need of PASSCO when provinces discourage wheat procurement with federal entity were endorsed by the Ministry of National Food Security, when shared by the PMO for comments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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