–PSQCA Secretary Ghulam Umar Kazi, in-charge of status of pending inquiries, faces five inquiries himself
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Science and Technology on Wednesday disclosed that least 33 inquiries were pending against the ministry officials in the department, the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for years.
According to documents, the ministry on September 6, 2019, wrote a letter to the Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to present an updated status on the pending cases within a week.
The letter came after a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Science and Technology, wherein the body had asked the secretary to personally look into the cases and report on their status in the next meeting.
The committee had asked the secretary to examine the cases and suspend corrupt officials at its attached department (PSQCA) till the conclusion of inquiries.
Interestingly, the secretary, instead of following the Senate body’s instructions, asked the PSQCA officials for an update on the final status of the case.
Interestingly, PSQCA Secretary Ghulam Umar Kazi will be submitting the status of pending inquiries to the ministry despite the fact that, as per the list shared by MoST, he is facing at least five different inquiries at NAB and FIA.
As per the documents these cases are related “to corruption, malpractice, misuse of authority/illegal appointments/ promotion/violation, recruitment process/irregularities/illegal promotion without DPC in BPS-19 holding two posts, manipulating/tempering of records, illegal/irrelevant training abroad and also assets beyond known source of income”.
Despite these inquiries and pending cases, Kazi is enjoying the post of PSQCA secretary for over eight years.
As per the list of MoST, Kalid Ahmed Bablani, presently serving as a project director, is also facing at least five inquires at NAB, FIA. He is also facing departmental inquiries related to corruption, misappropriation of fund in PSDP, Project ‘Purchase of Laboratory, Equipment Provision of Furniture for PSQCA Complex at Karachi’, and also Illegally issuance of TRC for clearance of consignment in import exports section of PSQCA, and also holding assets beyond known source of income.
Another PSQCA Director, Ali Bux Soomro, is facing three inquires at NAB, FIA related to irregularities for issuance of licence for the sub-standards product, illegally issuing TRC for clearance of consignment for import and exports, etc.
Akhtar Ahmed Bughio, another director of the authority, is also facing three similar cases at the FIA, NAB and within the ministry under a fact-finding report, the list shows.
Besides, Deputy Director (F&A) Syed Ali Muhammad Bukhari is also facing two inquires at FIA and NAB.
Apart from the serving high officials of PSQCA, former director-general Pir Bakhsh Khan Jamali (BS-21) is facing three inquires related to corruption, illegal use of authority and violations of rules, etc.
Barkat Saeed Memon (BS-21), a former director-general, is being investigated by FIA and NAB in three cases.
Besides, much other serving and retired officials of the authority which included AIjaz Ali Panhwar, former director; Nazir Hussain, director project; Khalid Hussain Langah, ex-director; Muhammad Nawaz Shaikh, assistant director; Syed Jafar Hussain Shah, ex-superintendent are also undergoing various inquires at FIA and NAB.
According to sources in NAB and FIA, the inquires mentioned in the list were in the process while in a number of cases the PSQCA officials were not cooperating for provision of documents and other evidence.
