Ministry irked by rampant corruption in DGTO

Commerce Ministry is reportedly irked by rampant corruption in Directorate General of Trade Organisations (DGTO), with parliamentarians, top officials and top businessmen having shared evidence with the Minister and Secretary, well informed sources told Business Recorder. DGTO is headed by a senior officer who recently performed Hajj. Most of the positions in DGTO are filled with the officers of Commerce and Trade (C&T) Group.
The sources said Commerce Minister, Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan who was personally the recipient of these complaints summoned the Director General of the Organisation Azhar Iqbal a couple of days ago and directed him to put his house in order. According to sources, Haji Ghulam Ali, former President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) S.M. Munir and Chairman National Assembly's Standing Committee on Commerce, Siraj Muhammad Khan have conveyed to the Commerce Minister that the incumbent DGTO was involved in corruption. However, he denied the charges, saying that another officer took Rs 50,000 from one party to alter his orders during his presence in Saudi Arabia.
The sources further stated that the accused officer has been transferred and appointed to a low key position. "We had received such complaints against the officer after which he was transferred to another position which is not lucrative. At the time of chambers elections each year, such complaints are received," the sources maintained.
Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce, Siraj Muhammad Khan during a recent meeting of the standing committee publicly accused the DGTO of being involved in corruption. "I can prove that you are involved in massive corruption," Siraj Khan said while addressing the incumbent DGTO. Secretary Commerce, Azmat Ali Ranjah, sources said, also summoned DGTO and directed him to implement his decisions taken with regard to a couple of chambers.
"Whosoever is appointed head of the DGTO is found involved in corruption as businessmen or industrialists who contest elections in Chambers of Commerce and Industry entice DGTOs to get orders in their favour passed," said another official on condition of anonymity.
There are reports that defeated groups in chambers attempt to influence the Commerce Ministry through different channels to revisit the elections; however, the Commerce Ministry on occasion assists the defeated groups but in other instances remedy is not provided.
One of the former DGTOs who is facing NAB inquiry has "fled" to the United States. Another DGTO Sajid Hussain was also removed after the Commerce Ministry received "concrete evidence" which showed Rs 0.5 million was transferred into his account although an inquiry conducted by a grade 22 officer exonerated him on grounds that the complainant, Daroo Khan, a businessman from Chamman, did not appear personally on the fixed date.