The prime minister has formed a high-level committee to inquire into the reported corruption of Rs 40 billion in the purchase of five Boeing aircraft during the tenure of the last PPP government.
The committee will be headed by Minister for Defence, Water and Power Khawaja Mohammad Asif. According to reports, Boeing Company is pressing the PIA to take the ordered aircraft and the balance amount be cleared. This is the first high-level inquiry ordered by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif into a high profile corruption scam.
The reports further said that the inquiry committee would look into the handling of the entire case by the former Defence Minister, former MD PIA Captain Yusufzai, Deputy MD Saleem Sayani, some other political personalities and bureaucrats because the deal was done during their tenure.
The report said under the deal reached in July 2012, about Rs 40 billion were reportedly misappropriated and the aircraft had not reached Pakistan because the PIA was not prepared to take the delivery while the US company was pressing for the release of remaining amount and supply of the planes.
The inquiry committee has been asked to submit a report within a month to the prime minister. The committee has also been asked to identify those responsible in the scam and suggest action against them. Other members of the committee would be PM’s special assistant Captain Shujaat Azim, secretary Civil Aviation and Secretary Cabinet Division.
Sources said Boeing aircraft were appropriate for long routes while the PIA needed aircraft for short routes. They said when the process for the purchase of Boeing aircraft was on, some PIA officials had opposed the deal but the administration at that time rejected those objections.