Change in mandate?: Vigilance cell to check corruption within PFA

Food watchdog to hire only retired army officers from intelligence agencies

LAHORE: A retired army colonel or major from either the Military Intelligence or Inter-Services Intelligence will head the newly established vigilance cell at the Punjab Food Authority to rein in corruption within the organisation.

Earlier this month, the food watchdog obtained an approval from the Punjab chief minister to expand its jurisdiction throughout the province by 2017-end and to establish a vigilance cell mandated to collect information needed for raids as well as about the wrongdoings at the PFA.

The food authority also plans on hiring two junior commissioned officers for each of the five divisional headquarters for the vigilance cell, whose director is set to receive an attractive salary package.

The Punjab government recently approved the expansion of PFA operations in 17 districts (five divisions) at a cost of Rs630 million.

Much of the approved budget is likely to be spent on acquiring vehicles as the watchdog has upgraded its operational vehicle from Suzuki Bolan to Toyota Hiace.



The authority has also sought approval for 199 new inductions, majority of which would be for the PFA headquarters.

The vigilance cell, according to the PFA, would be established within two weeks.

The acting charge of the vigilance cell would be given to the administration and finance director. The cell has been established keeping in view the rampant corruption within the PFA.

The department also suspects some field officers to be involved in corruption. Sensing wrongdoings, the authority has already restricted field officers from sealing any premises on their own and established a committee to decide the fate of food outlets.

PFA Director-General Noorul Amin Mengal said it was important to keep tabs on the field officers and for that the vigilance cell would work as an intelligence wing of the authority.

“This cell will not only collect information regarding adulteration but also about the wrongdoings of the officers,” he said.

“The PFA is not here to harass anyone but to improve the standard and quality of the food available.”

“The PFA will collect its own information instead of being used by media anchors for their ulterior motives,” he said. “We will also not allow any officer to misuse their authority.”

Noor said the authority would only hire retired army officers for this cell, with experience in either the MI or ISI. “Retired army officers are honest with long experience of working in discipline,” he believed.

He added the vigilance director would be paid as much as Rs400,000 to Rs500,000. “Giving an attractive salary package stops an officer to look for any other means of earning,” he claimed, adding that other officers at this cell would also be given good salaries.

Earlier this month, the Special Branch Police via a letter asked the PFA to provide the names of its officers involved in malpractices.

The inquiry, according to the details in the letter sent to PFA, began with a junior employee of the authority, who in a short span of time, reportedly accumulated Rs5 million worth of property.

This inquiry was initiated on the request of DG Noor, who wrote a letter both to the anti-corruption establishment and the special branch in November, a month after taking charge.

Police initiated an inquiry to probe the alleged corruption of the junior employee. The branch is also investigating overall malpractice in the workings of the authority.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16^th, 2017.