NFML stock: 5 contractors embezzle Rs1.6b in urea supplies

Companies blacklisted; references forwarded to NAB

ISLAMABAD: Officials of National Fertilizer Marketing Limited (NFML) surprised parliamentarians in a meeting on Monday by revealing that around five contractors had misappropriated Rs1.6 billion from urea stock supplies.

The details were shared during a National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee meeting on Industries and Production at Parliament Lodges with MNA Asad Umer chairing.

NFML’s acting managing director (MD) Qudratullah informed the committee that there were five cartage contractors who had failed to deliver thousands of tons of urea at the NFML designated godowns and that cases are being pursued against them.

One of the contractors, Bilal Ahmed Carriage had failed to deliver 7,948 metric tons of urea to the NFML’s godowns. The cartage contractors have since been blacklisted and a reference against them had been forwarded to National Accountability Bureau.

“They got away with urea worth Rs1.6 billion yet nobody knew anything about it?” Umer questioned. The MD had no clear reply to which Umer added that it was a brazen case of corruption.

The MD said the general manager of the company was behind bars while the rest of the companies had been blacklisted and investigations were being pursued in NAB.

Mairvi Carriage had failed to deliver 3,064 metric tons of urea, while other contractors who misappropriated supplies include Salahuddin and Sons with 9,573 metric tons; Trans Global with 4,142 metric tons and Inam and Co with 13,666 metric tons unaccounted for.

Besides, some companies were involved in bogus acknowledgement of urea, its unauthorised booking and misappropriating the value of stock. The committee was informed that former officials were involved in the misappropriation and misuse of their authorities.  Similarly, around five cases are being probed by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against dealers in debit balance and misappropriation of urea stock.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2016.