Complaint verification: NAB mounts probe into role of PARC chief

Will investigate appointment of 200 employees in the agricultural research institute

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has launched a probe against the head of the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Dr Iftikhar Ahmed over illegal appointments in the country’s premier agricultural research institute.

Sirat Asghar, secretary at the ministry of national food security and research, said that the ministry itself has no knowledge about any inquiry against the PARC chairman. It also does not have any such complaint or information about the alleged corruption of the officer.

“The NAB should have at least informed the ministry about this inquiry instead of issuing information to media through press releases”, said Ashgar while talking to The Express Tribune. He said that the ministry would definitely respond to the top watchdog if it makes contact in this regard. Earlier, the graft watchdog in a press statement had confirmed that it received a complaint against Dr Iftikhar Ahmed.

The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on March 24, 2015 authorised Complaint Verification (CV) against Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed for the alleged illegal appointment of 200 employees in PARC. The complainant also alleges that the PARC chief established his own private company by the name of Patco and PARC sales and purchases were made through the company and profit was distributed among his partners. He was also running a private NGO by the name of SOFT wherein he is patron-in-chief and his wife and friends were also working on different positions in the NGO.

A senior officer in NAB told The Express Tribune that the NAB Rawalpindi office is currently verifying the complaint against Dr Iftikhar Ahmed. However, he added, it is too early to come to a conclusion whether he is allegedly involved in any corruption or merely misusing his office.

NAB spokesperson Nawazish Ali Asim said that NAB is not bound to inform the ministry and it can launch an investigation against any official if it receives a complaint against him or her. He said that NAB had started verification after receiving complaints against Dr Iftikhar and that there is no need to involve the ministry. However, he said, it will definitely maintain contact with the ministry.

Despite repeated attempts, Dr Iftikhar Ahmed could not be contacted for his comments on the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2015.