Court Orders Salary Deductions in APP DSNG Vehicle Scandal
APP
Islamabad: A lower court on Friday ruled on a high-profile case involving the illegal purchase of a vehicle by the national news agency, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), ordering the recovery of misused funds from the salaries of officials implicated in the scandal.
During the hearing, Judicial Magistrate Malik Muhammad Imran cleared APP of liability in the unlawful procurement of a DSNG vehicle. Instead, the court held specific officials accountable and directed salary deductions to recover the financial losses.
APP Managing Director Muhammad Asim Khichi, accompanied by his lawyer Husnain Haider Thaheem, appeared before the court to present the agency’s case. Thaheem informed the court that the APP MD had established an inquiry committee, led by Director China News Service Yawar Abbas Bukhari, to investigate the matter.
The committee recorded statements from relevant individuals and found former IT Director Muhammad Ghawas Khan, senior clerk Atiq-ur-Rehman, and legal section in-charge Muhammad Zubair responsible for procurement irregularities. It recommended disciplinary action against them.
Thaheem further argued that a private company, NetSite, had acquired the machinery installed in the DSNG vehicle and later demanded payment from APP. Instead of recovering the losses from the responsible officials, the company filed a case against APP. The lawyer maintained that the agency was unfairly held accountable for the misconduct of its employees.
The court accepted Thaheem’s arguments, ruling in APP’s favor and ordering the recovery of misused funds through salary deductions from the implicated officials. The hearing was adjourned until April 7.
The scandal stemmed from the purchase of a non-custom paid vehicle instead of a new showroom model, violating procurement regulations and causing a financial loss of 12 million rupees to the agency. The implicated officials were found to have misused their authority, breaching procurement laws.
This case is part of a broader anti-corruption drive under Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s zero-tolerance policy.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has directed APP MD Muhammad Asim Khichi to take strict action against corrupt elements within the agency. So far, corruption amounting to approximately 1.5 billion rupees has been uncovered, with multiple cases pending in various courts.
The ruling underscores the government’s commitment to accountability and transparency, setting a precedent for tackling financial misconduct in public institutions.
