Nepotism?: FIA launches inquiry into alleged illegal appointments
To question 20 officials from the education department.
According to insiders, the order came after FIA received complaints from aggrieved individuals, who claimed to have ‘paid’ for jobs they never got. PHOTO: FILE
GILGIT:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched an inquiry into the alleged illegal appointments made in the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) education department over the current government’s tenure.
According to insiders, the order came after FIA received complaints from aggrieved individuals, who claimed to have ‘paid’ for jobs they never got. Apart from backdoor appointments, the agency is also verifying the degrees of officials.
“At least 20 senior officials are on the list to be questioned by the FIA about their role in appointments,” said an official requesting anonymity. If concrete evidence surfaces during investigation, the responsible officials will be put behind bars, he added.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led G-B government has been widely accused of taking bribes while appointing officials, particularly in the education department – an allegation the government vehemently denies.
Opposition lawmakers in the assembly have also raised the issue, asking the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to expand its sphere to G-B. Earlier in April, more than 180 employees were sacked for being appointed illegally.
Education Minister Ali Madad Sher and Information Minister Engineer Mohammad Ismail were not available for comment. However, a spokesperson at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Sajjadul Haq, said the government does not have any objections as long as a fair inquiry is conducted.
“This has been our stance. We are against corruption and corrupt practices,” said Haq, adding investigations should not target any particular party.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2013.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched an inquiry into the alleged illegal appointments made in the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) education department over the current government’s tenure.
According to insiders, the order came after FIA received complaints from aggrieved individuals, who claimed to have ‘paid’ for jobs they never got. Apart from backdoor appointments, the agency is also verifying the degrees of officials.
“At least 20 senior officials are on the list to be questioned by the FIA about their role in appointments,” said an official requesting anonymity. If concrete evidence surfaces during investigation, the responsible officials will be put behind bars, he added.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led G-B government has been widely accused of taking bribes while appointing officials, particularly in the education department – an allegation the government vehemently denies.
Opposition lawmakers in the assembly have also raised the issue, asking the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to expand its sphere to G-B. Earlier in April, more than 180 employees were sacked for being appointed illegally.
Education Minister Ali Madad Sher and Information Minister Engineer Mohammad Ismail were not available for comment. However, a spokesperson at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Sajjadul Haq, said the government does not have any objections as long as a fair inquiry is conducted.
“This has been our stance. We are against corruption and corrupt practices,” said Haq, adding investigations should not target any particular party.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2013.