A controversial official allegedly involved in corruption has been running Punjab’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Despite ongoing inquiries against him, he is still holding the key post in the department, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Sources said that Punjab EPA Monitoring Lab & Implementation (ML&I) Director Tauqeer Ahmed Qureshi had been a favourite of the Environmental Protection Department’s (EPD) former Secretary Iqbal Chauhan and the EPA’s former Director General Dr Javed Iqbal, and was given key responsibilities despite strong recommendations for his demotion from the Public Prosecution Department in an inquiry conducted a two years ago.
The ML&I director is responsible for updating and managing matters regarding EPA laboratories.
Sources say that Qureshi “caters completely to his bosses’ needs”, and in exchange, has been granted the post without any merit.
An inquiry report dated June 2014 in which Tauqeer faced seven different charges states: “Mr Qureshi holds a cattle farm of six acres, having 100-150 cattle located at Maraka, Multan Road, Lahore. He forced Mr Yasir Gul, a subordinate, to ask his father to become Mr Qureshi’s partner and invest his pension in the cattle business. When Yasir refused, the officer threatened him with dire consequences.”
The report also labels him as an inefficient officer and states that the utilisation of funds has been impacted negatively because of him.
“Mr Qureshi being a civil engineer has little knowledge and experience about the chemical labs,” the report reads.
In another charge, he has been proved of causing a loss of millions of rupees to the department due to his negligence and inefficiency.
The inquiry report dated July 2013 states: “As per finding of the probe committee constituted by the chief minister of Punjab the senior purchase officer (then Tauqeer Qureshi) caused an estimated loss of Rs 57 million to the public exchequer.”
The report reads that the loss could have been avoided or at least minimised had Qureshi performed his duties timely, efficiently and diligently.
At least three applications have been submitted to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Tauqir Qureshi for his involvement in corruption in the purchase of laboratory equipment for the EPA.
Sources privy to the development told this scribe that the NAB has initiated an inquiry against him.
Sources also say that there are many other complaints registered by others in the department against Qureshi on different grounds.
Tauqeer Ahmad holds a foreign degree in civil engineering but was placed through the Punjab Public Service Commission in 1998 by claiming a qualification in environmental science.
He was suspended a year later when a former secretary termed Qureshi’s qualification irrelevant to the post.
This scribe tried to contact the EPA’s acting DG Capt (r) Saif Anjum for comments but he was not available. An SMS was also sent to his number but he did not respond to that either.
When contacted, a spokesperson of the EPA Naseem ur Rehman Shah, also refused to comment.
Environment Minister Zakya Shahnawaz was also not available because of a dinner-meeting with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
While talking to Pakistan Today Azhar Siddique, a senior lawyer, said that Tauqir Qureshi had no reason to hold his office until the completion of inquiries against him.
“There are too many chances for an accused official to influence the inquiry,” he said.
