FIA Arrests PARC Chairman and Director Over Major Recruitment Scandal
In a major crackdown on administrative misconduct, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested the Chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali, along with Director Establishment Akhlaq Ahmad, over charges of corruption and misuse of authority.
The arrests, which took place on Monday, stem from an ongoing investigation into illegal recruitments and abuse of power within the PARC. According to the FIA, both officials were taken into custody following evidence that 332 individuals were illegally appointed against just 164 sanctioned vacancies in the department. The agency also alleged that bribes were accepted in exchange for some of the illegal appointments.
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The FIA has confirmed that both Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali and Akhlaq Ahmad will be presented before a court today to seek their remand. Simultaneously, raids are being carried out to apprehend 17 more officers and staff members allegedly involved in the recruitment scandal.
The investigation was launched after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the parliament raised alarm over the irregularities during a meeting held more than two months ago. The PAC voiced strong criticism of the administrative and financial mismanagement within the PARC, particularly calling attention to the illegal hiring spree that contradicted all standard hiring procedures.
Audit officials reported that although only 164 positions were formally advertised, 332 people were appointed. Moreover, there was no submission of required domicile certificates for many of the newly hired individuals. The PAC chairman further alleged that the list of appointees included relatives of a sitting federal minister and the PARC chairman himself.
Following these revelations, the FIA initiated a formal investigation as per the PAC’s directives and registered a case against Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali. His appointment as PARC chairman had been made in July 2022 by then President Arif Alvi under Section 9 of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Ordinance, 1981, which mandates that the chairman be a distinguished scientist from the agricultural sector.
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