Family first?: Agricultural Development Fund mired in nepotism
Relatives of many senior officials holding ‘undeserving’ posts.
PHOTO: INP/FILE
PESHAWAR:
Non-agriculturists have been given positions in the Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), Department of Agriculture Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), raising serious concerns about rampant nepotism.
A source within the department, on condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune the appointment was manoeuvred to accommodate the son of ex-secretary agriculture K-P Afsar Khan and some of his other relatives. Afsar is currently serving as the Malakand commissioner.
The official explained that ADF was started under the Directorate of Agriculture’s department for seed production, and was established with the funds left behind after the winding-up of the agriculture development authority. He added that in June 2011, the Seed Industry Project also began under ADF’s wing in Peshawar, Mardan and DI Khan. Twenty-one officials in different categories, he said, were terminated, along with the project on June 30, 2012. Interestingly, the services of Afsar Khan’s son, Muhammad Farooq, and those of his relatives remained intact and they continue to work at relatively senior posts.
The agriculture department official said the senior level appointments were made in violation of an advertisement published in a local Urdu daily on February 3, 2010, requiring an MSc (Hons) in Agriculture and three years of public sector experience for the posts of assistant director and procurement officer on a contractual basis.
“Almost everyone recruited in the ADF has been without the appropriate qualification, experience and some even hired without interviews,” he added.
The official said Farooq was initially appointed as an assistant director (BPS-17), and was promoted within no time to the post of deputy director, with no agricultural experience or qualification. He also cited the cases of Afsar’s nephew Mohammad Usman and his relative Aizaz Ali, who were appointed as procurement officers in the same way. Along with Rubi Elahi and Afaq Ahmad, the two were initially appointed as store officers and then re-designated to procurement officers.
The source added that the son of Superintendent Muhammad Khan of the agriculture department, Amjad Khan, had also been appointed as assistant accountant (BPS-12). Initially, he said Amjad was appointed as a budget and account officer in the seed industry, but after the closure of the project, he was ‘accommodated’ in the ADF without any test or interview.
All these officials are getting hefty salaries, he added, and are benefiting from many perks and privileges. Their appointment letters and payroll details are also available with The Express Tribune.
A former official who served in the project said ineligible officials were suspended by former minister Arbab Ayub Jan, however, their services were restored under the new government. The source claimed that Farooq is currently in China without official leave and drawing his salary unchecked.
He said one of the officials working as a procurement officer at the project in Takht Bhai whose employment was terminated, Muhammad Iqbal, intends to go to court over the gross violation of rules.
ADF Seed Director Muhammad Khan confirmed Ayub Jan’s action, and said the officials were later reinstated to their posts. However, he expressed ignorance about their eligibility and claimed their services were extended on the directives of a steering committee.
When contacted, Minister for Agriculture Shahram Khan Tarakai said he has no idea about the appointments, adding that nothing illegal will be tolerated in the department.
“We will not accept any illegal appointments, no matter who is involved,” said Tarakai. “Nobody is above the law.”
The minister added that he will order an enquiry into the appointments and redress the situation to dispense rightful justice.
Despite repeated attempts, Malakand Commissioner Afsar Khan could not be reached for comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2014.
Non-agriculturists have been given positions in the Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), Department of Agriculture Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), raising serious concerns about rampant nepotism.
A source within the department, on condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune the appointment was manoeuvred to accommodate the son of ex-secretary agriculture K-P Afsar Khan and some of his other relatives. Afsar is currently serving as the Malakand commissioner.
The official explained that ADF was started under the Directorate of Agriculture’s department for seed production, and was established with the funds left behind after the winding-up of the agriculture development authority. He added that in June 2011, the Seed Industry Project also began under ADF’s wing in Peshawar, Mardan and DI Khan. Twenty-one officials in different categories, he said, were terminated, along with the project on June 30, 2012. Interestingly, the services of Afsar Khan’s son, Muhammad Farooq, and those of his relatives remained intact and they continue to work at relatively senior posts.
The agriculture department official said the senior level appointments were made in violation of an advertisement published in a local Urdu daily on February 3, 2010, requiring an MSc (Hons) in Agriculture and three years of public sector experience for the posts of assistant director and procurement officer on a contractual basis.
“Almost everyone recruited in the ADF has been without the appropriate qualification, experience and some even hired without interviews,” he added.
The official said Farooq was initially appointed as an assistant director (BPS-17), and was promoted within no time to the post of deputy director, with no agricultural experience or qualification. He also cited the cases of Afsar’s nephew Mohammad Usman and his relative Aizaz Ali, who were appointed as procurement officers in the same way. Along with Rubi Elahi and Afaq Ahmad, the two were initially appointed as store officers and then re-designated to procurement officers.
The source added that the son of Superintendent Muhammad Khan of the agriculture department, Amjad Khan, had also been appointed as assistant accountant (BPS-12). Initially, he said Amjad was appointed as a budget and account officer in the seed industry, but after the closure of the project, he was ‘accommodated’ in the ADF without any test or interview.
All these officials are getting hefty salaries, he added, and are benefiting from many perks and privileges. Their appointment letters and payroll details are also available with The Express Tribune.
A former official who served in the project said ineligible officials were suspended by former minister Arbab Ayub Jan, however, their services were restored under the new government. The source claimed that Farooq is currently in China without official leave and drawing his salary unchecked.
He said one of the officials working as a procurement officer at the project in Takht Bhai whose employment was terminated, Muhammad Iqbal, intends to go to court over the gross violation of rules.
ADF Seed Director Muhammad Khan confirmed Ayub Jan’s action, and said the officials were later reinstated to their posts. However, he expressed ignorance about their eligibility and claimed their services were extended on the directives of a steering committee.
When contacted, Minister for Agriculture Shahram Khan Tarakai said he has no idea about the appointments, adding that nothing illegal will be tolerated in the department.
“We will not accept any illegal appointments, no matter who is involved,” said Tarakai. “Nobody is above the law.”
The minister added that he will order an enquiry into the appointments and redress the situation to dispense rightful justice.
Despite repeated attempts, Malakand Commissioner Afsar Khan could not be reached for comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2014.