Ex-EOBI chief among 16 probed by FIA in Rs40 billion scam

FIA told to provide details of the registered cases in committee’s next meeting

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was informed on Monday by the Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had launched 18 inquiries, in which 16 cases had been registered against private individuals and officials, including EOBI’s former chairman Zafar Iqbal Gondal.

The committee urged FIA to provide details of the registered cases in the next meeting. It recommended that the EOBI’s legal team should actively pursue these cases in the Supreme Court.

Auditors detect Rs71b misappropriation in EOBI

The parliamentary committee also suggested that EOBI’s annual financial report should be presented in the National Assembly.

Following a suo motu notice on a Rs40 billion scam in the EOBI, former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had directed FIA to conduct an inquiry into the misappropriation, after which probe teams had been formed at the provincial level.

According to reports, EOBI officials had invested huge sums in housing schemes and purchased vehicles in various cities. The purchases were made without the approval of the institution’s board of directors.

EOBI: Increase in pension demanded 

The committee met under acting chairman Sheikh Salahuddin in the absence of Mir Aamir Ali Khan Magsi, who is currently abroad.

Bills discussed

According to the representative of the Ministry of law and Justice, the bills, ‘the Domestic Workers (Employment Rights) Bill, 2016’ (moved by Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho), ‘the Employment of Children (Amendment) Bill, 2016’ (moved by Aliya Kamran) and ‘the Children (Pledging of Labour) (Amendment) Bill, 2017’ (moved by Dr Nikhat Shakeel Khan) fall under the ambit of the interior ministry and therefore, the committee referred them to it.

EOBI scam: SHC rejects bail pleas of AKD Securities officials

The committee discussed ‘the Emigration (Amendment) Bill, 2017’ moved by Dr Shazia Sobia in detail. The secretary Ministry of OP & HRD assured that the proposals would be incorporated in another government bill which is under consideration.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, Syed Sajid Mehdi, Mian Najeebuddin Awaisi, Sabiha Nazir, Musarat Rafique Mahesar, Shaguft Jumani, Aliya Kamran, Nasir Khan, Aisha and movers of the bills Dr Nikhat Shakeel Khan and Dr Shazia Sobia.