Olive cultivation project: Inclusion of NARC employees' names in FIR criticised

The members of a parliamentary body on Wednesday expressed severe displeasure over the nomination of innocent employees of NARC in a case registered by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on charges of irregularities in "Promotion of Olive Cultivation on Commercial Scale" project.
Members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research, who met with Malik Shakir Bashir Awan in the chair, said that the FIA has included names of innocent employees of National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC) in the First Information Report (FIR) who have nothing to do with gross illegalities and criminal misconduct committed while awarding contract to firms for the supply of olive plants.
They said that the names of innocent people should be removed from the FIR and strict action must be taken against those who are involved in the scam.
According to the FIR registered by FIA, the management of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) including members of the bidding opening and evaluation committee, inspection committee and former project director are involved in the scam.
The agency has registered a case against accused Khaista Khan, owner of M/s Khista Khan Enterprises, Tahir Jamshed Khetran, Assistant Accounts Officer PARC, Waqar Jamshed Khetran, brother of accused Tahir, Abu Bakar Khetran, manager Khaista Khan Enterprises, Razia Sultana, mother of the accused Tahir, and Mehboob Qadir, a bank manager, as they all were found involved in fraud and cheating.
The FIR says that during the course of investigation, the role of accused Bismillah Kakar, Haji Zahir, Haji Shafique, Waqas Ahmed Khetran, owner of M/S Manzil Group, Dr Munir, ex-project director, and Dr Samad, convener and ARI at Ternaaab Peshawar, found in the scam.
MNA Muhammad Salman Baloch said that the agency has included the name of innocent people in the FIR in order to save skin of the main accused, Project Director Nasir Mehmood Cheema.
"What action have you taken against Cheema who is the main accused of the scam?" Baloch asked Chairman PARC, Dr Yusaf Zafar.
Baloch exchanged harsh words with Dr Mubarak Ali, Member Food Security and Climate Change, Planning Commission, when he (Ali) asked the committee to discuses olive scam and FIR registered by FIA in another meeting.
Baloch asked Ali under which capacity he is dictating the committee. "This is an issue of public interest and we will discuss it here in this committee," he said.
"How did you come to this committee?" Boloch asked Ali. On this Ali told him, "I am member the Food Security and Climate Change, Planning Commission, and we provide funds to NARC."
"Are you providing funds to NARC from your own pocket?" Baloch said and asked him to leave the meeting; otherwise, he himself will leave the meeting.
Bolach left the meeting when the member of the Planning Commission refused to abide by the instructions of committee chairman.
Later, Ali along with MNAs and senior officials left the meeting. Baloch returned to the meeting after Ali tendered an apology to him.
A senior official of PARC told the meeting that the agency has also included two officials namely Kashif and Farrukh from finance departments in the investigation who helped the top management in unearthing the scam.
Dr Yousaf Zafer told the committee that the Project Director of the olive promotion project along with other officials was suspended and FIA is probing the matter.
He further told the meeting that olive will be cultivated over about 50,000 acres of land in potential areas in order to reduce the burden on foreign exchange reserves being used for import of olive oil in the country.
The members also expressed their concern over adulteration in food commodities, including milk, and asked the PARC chairman to take appropriate measures to check the menace.
The meeting also asked for enhancing the developmental funds of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
The committee also discussed the budgetary proposals of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research for the financial year 2017-18.
Director General Livestock and Dairy Development Board, Dr Qurban informed the committee that Punjab Food Authority is taking steps to check the adulteration in food commodities, including milk, in order to ensure availability of pure and hygienic food commodities to general public.
Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Abid Javed presented the proposal of 61 ongoing and new development projects in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2017-18 of Rs 5,813.662 million to the committee and the committee approved it.
The meeting was attended by MNAs' Chaudhry Nazeer Ahmad, Iftikhar-ul-Hassan, Khalid Mnasoor, Abdul Sattar Bachani and Faqir Sher Muhammad Bilalani, Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan and senior officials.