FIA report on wheat has explosive material against CM Usman Buzdar

ISLAMABAD: FIA’s Supplementary Report on the wheat scam contains explosive material against Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for making massive changes in the Food Department that led to the serious flour crisis hitting the country recently. The FIA probe committee confronted the Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, who interestingly admitted to having made certain changes in the food department following political pressures.

The report revealed that dozens of officers in the food department were repeatedly posted and transferred on the orders of the Chief Minister, who also changed four food secretaries in seven months time.

Even a food secretary told the FIA Committee that many food department officials were transferred on the verbal directions conveyed by the Chief Minister Office. The FIA’s Supplementary Report on Wheat scam shows that the inquiry team interviewed the Chief Minister, who admitted, “it was true that political persons approach the Chief Minister Office for transfer posting.”

“Most of the transfer postings were done on the proposals initiated by the concerned secretaries, some political proposals were also accommodated but input of the Special Branch was also taken before taking decisions,” the report said.

The Buzdar government had transferred four secretaries in the food department in seven months —April 2019 to November 2019. All these secretaries were changed by the Chief Minister.

According to the report, these four food secretaries, except in case of Naseem Sadiq, in turn also resorted to massive posting/transfers of District Food Controllers (DFCs) and Deputy Directors.

One of these secretaries transferred 35 DFCs only in the month of March 2019. Another secretary food transferred all nine deputy directors posted in the field and changed 32 DFCs.

However, both these secretaries — Shaukat Ali and Zafar Nasrullah — stated that due to ban on all posting/transfers imposed by the competent authority since December 11, 2018, that continued till December 7, 2019, the posting and transfers under their respective tenures were proposed by the respective secretaries, but were made only with the approval of the Chief Minister.

One of the secretaries acknowledged that some of the DFCs who had been given posting on political considerations in previous months had to be removed due to poor performance and reputation.

The secretary — Zafar Nasrullah — also cited administrative reasons for the changes made but admitted that the summaries of about half of the postings that he had proposed were on the verbal directions conveyed by the Chief Minister Office.

According to the report, none of the summaries moved for the postings of four secretaries cited any reasons for frequent removals of secretaries of food department. “All the summaries for the subject transfer/postings were moved ‘subject to the directions of Competent Authority’”. The report added that the former and current chief secretaries of Punjab also confirmed the same position.

The FIA inquiry report said that the Chief Minister Punjab is the authority of the transfer posting of provincial secretaries, therefore, all secretaries were changed with the approval of the Chief Minister Punjab.

“Also during the period in which DFCs were changed, there was a ban on transfer posting imposed by the Chief Minister Punjab office and all the DFCs were transferred after the approval of the Chief Minister Punjab Office”, the report said.

It added that the Punjab CM was also interviewed. The CM said that he changed Shaukat Ali from the post of food secretary on April 10, 2019 because he was appointed secretary food by the previous government. The CM added that the new government wanted to appoint a new secretary food to ensure that there was no issue in the procurement of wheat.

The FIA committee, however, observed that Shaukat Ali had been heading the department for a reasonable time and had gained sufficient experience was transferred right at the start of procurement season. “Timing of transfer of Mr Shoukat Ali was not right.”

The report added that later Naseem Sadiq remained secretary food for about two months and then was also changed. “According to the CM Punjab, he was changed as his services were direly required in the housing department and he was posted as secretary housing in the public interest.”

Then Zafar Nasrullah was posted as secretary food but he too served for only five months. “According to the CM, he was transferred after about five months when there was a major reshuffle in the Punjab.”

The FIA Inquiry committee observed that Nasrullah was doing well before the onset of the wheat/flour price problem. “His removal in November coincided with the beginning of price increase and his transfer again affected the continuity of the smooth working of the department.”

According to the report, “Chief Minister Punjab further told that it was true that political persons always approach the Chief Minister office for transfer posting. Most of the transfers, postings were done on the proposals initiated by the concerned secretaries, some political proposals were also recommended but input of the Special Branch was also taken before making decisions.”

The report added, “After the imposition of ban on transfer posting by the Chief Minister Office, the Chief Minister explained that since the new government took over there was a lot of pressure on the administration for transfer posting. To control the pressure of transfer posting, the Chief Minister office had to intervene and order that all the transfer posting shall only be done after the approval of the Chief Minister Office.”