The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has raised serious concerns regarding the appointment of 332 officers in the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), alleging that these appointments were made in violation of established rules. According to audit officials, the approved number of posts was 164, but PARC proceeded to appoint double that number, sparking questions about transparency and adherence to regulations.
Further scrutiny revealed that provincial and regional quotas were reportedly disregarded during the appointment process, raising suspicions of favoritism and potential corruption. PAC members expressed outrage, noting that the appointments seemed to benefit relatives of high-ranking officials within PARC. The PAC chairperson insinuated that the appointments were nepotistic, stating that many appointees were relatives of the chairman, secretary, and other officers.
The PARC chairman has gone on leave amid the controversy, which has only intensified the scrutiny. The PAC has demanded the chairman’s leave application and is considering referring the matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation. The PAC chairperson criticized PARC officials for making statements they couldn’t defend and questioned the rationale behind increasing the number of vacancies after the advertisement had been issued.
The PAC’s investigation revealed that recruitments were predominantly made from just three districts, further fueling allegations of bias and irregularities. With the PAC insisting on accountability, the future of the PARC chairman and other involved officials hangs in the balance. The matter is set to be examined further when the PARC chairman appears before the PAC on May 6. The committee’s probe aims to uncover the truth behind these controversial appointments and determine whether any laws were indeed broken.
