ISLAMABAD by SPECIAL COORESPONDENT
After a three-year delay, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Corruption Circle has registered a case related to alleged irregularities in the recruitment process at the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) dating back to 2009. According to sources, more than 2,000 officers were hired under a recruitment advertisement issued in 2009. The FIA launched an inquiry into the matter in 2022, but progress was reportedly stalled due to alleged internal settlements.
Sources revealed that multiple investigating officers from the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle handled the case over the years. It is alleged that some officers deliberately delayed the inquiry, possibly after making informal “deals” to suppress findings. However, the newly appointed Director of FIA reviewed the case, took serious notice of the delays, and ordered a comprehensive review of all pending inquiries within the Anti-Corruption Circle.
Acting on the director’s instructions, the Anti-Corruption Cell completed its investigation and registered a formal case against former Director Admin Ahmad Taimoor Nasir and Director Finance Kashif Ahmed Noor of the Housing Foundation. The FIR has been filed under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including 109 (abetment), 409 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), and 471 (using a forged document as genuine).
The case alleges that the accused made appointments based on favoritism rather than merit, concealed the merit list, and orchestrated a deceptive process under the guise of “collective wisdom.” The motive, as per the investigation, was personal financial gain.
Sources further revealed that the role of other officials and beneficiaries involved in the recruitment scandal will also be scrutinized during the ongoing investigation. The FIA has decided to expand the scope of the probe to identify all individuals who benefitted from or facilitated the illegal hiring process.
This development signals a major move by the FIA towards accountability in public sector institutions and could have far-reaching implications for recruitment transparency within federal organizations.