Olive promotion projects: accused declared proclaimed offenders

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has declared two accused of olive promotion project, Nasir Mehmood Cheema and Sakit Mehmood Mirza, as proclaimed offenders and advised Chairman NARC to stop their salaries. Deputy Director FIA Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has written a detailed letter to the management of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) about the scam of olive promotion project.
According to the letter, during the scrutiny of record of stock register there was an entry of 60,000 olive plants (Arbequina) on June 4, 2015 and 30,000 olive plants on June 26, 2015 of Khaista Khan Enterprises and 25,000 olive plants of June 4, 2015 was also entered in the stock register. However, while checking the record of ANFA Logistic Forwarding Agent at Islamabad airport it has provided a record in which the shipment of 60,000 plants was received on June 21, 2015 and June 30, 2015 in two parts while 30,000 shipment was received on July 5, 2015 and 25,000 plant shipment was received on June 13, 2015.
The agency queried as to how the stock register was maintained prior to the arrival of these plants. The agency stated that this is a clear case of criminal negligence on the part of authorities who maintained this stock register and provided wrong information to the FIA which is liable for criminal action against those who maintained it.
"You are requested to fix responsibility of involved persons within seven days and provide physical inspection of the plants," said Deputy Director FIA to PARC member, Dr, Munir Ahmad. FIA has further stated that the accused Nasir Mehmoood Cheema and Sakit Saleem Mirza did not appear on interim bail nor joined the investigation, adding that both the accused are absconders.
A parliamentary panel has expressed anger over transfer of a few officers/officials of olive promotion project following massive irregularities in the project found by the Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee and recommended to take uniform action against all officers/officials of the project. The committee recommended ministry of national food security & research (MNFS&R) to detach all officers/officials from olive project and conduct a transparent inquiry and take stern action against the officers/officials found involved in the scam.
One of the senior officials informed the parliamentary panel: "I am the most hated person in PARC. It took three months to remove one accused Sakit Salim Mirza from his position despite the fact that "fake" signed letterheads were found from his drawer." The owner of RSS Agri & Allied Services, a company which was awarded a contract of 0.4 million olive plants under PIDSA project, told the parliamentary panel that when Cheema's company did not get the contract, he was furious and used all measures to create hurdles for them.