BISP scam: ‘Fake’ CNICs deprived actual beneficiaries
Petitioner claims no action was taken against other divisional directors
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court Monday took stern notice of ‘misappropriations’ in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) in Larkana which had deprived actual beneficiaries of benefiting from the scheme.
Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi ordered Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid Mehmood to ensure that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials in Sukkur – Deputy Director Imtiaz Ali Channa and Inquiry Officer Liaquat Ali Mughal – appear before the court on November 16.
“In case of non-appearance their non-bailable warrants will be issued,” Justice Qureshi stated in the order. The court also directed BISP Director Dr Shujaat Farooq and Case Management Specialist Ahmed Athar, to appear in person before the court on November 16.
According to the FIA, an enquiry against former Divisional Director at BISP Larkana Abida Pathan, and the ex-Assistant Director BISP Larkana Suresh Kumar, following written complaints by the BISP Director General (Cash Transfer) in Islamabad Muhammad Nadeem, regarding misappropriation in CNICs had revealed that 944 fake Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) had been entered into the system.
As a result, these people were paid the money while deserving people were ignored, causing the exchequer a loss of over Rs21.38 million.
Moreover, the case has also revealed that the agency found 580,000 cases where data was entered incorrectly due to software problems across the country.
The court will take up the case on November 16.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2016.
The Islamabad High Court Monday took stern notice of ‘misappropriations’ in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) in Larkana which had deprived actual beneficiaries of benefiting from the scheme.
Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi ordered Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid Mehmood to ensure that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials in Sukkur – Deputy Director Imtiaz Ali Channa and Inquiry Officer Liaquat Ali Mughal – appear before the court on November 16.
“In case of non-appearance their non-bailable warrants will be issued,” Justice Qureshi stated in the order. The court also directed BISP Director Dr Shujaat Farooq and Case Management Specialist Ahmed Athar, to appear in person before the court on November 16.
According to the FIA, an enquiry against former Divisional Director at BISP Larkana Abida Pathan, and the ex-Assistant Director BISP Larkana Suresh Kumar, following written complaints by the BISP Director General (Cash Transfer) in Islamabad Muhammad Nadeem, regarding misappropriation in CNICs had revealed that 944 fake Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) had been entered into the system.
As a result, these people were paid the money while deserving people were ignored, causing the exchequer a loss of over Rs21.38 million.
Moreover, the case has also revealed that the agency found 580,000 cases where data was entered incorrectly due to software problems across the country.
The court will take up the case on November 16.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2016.