ISLAMABAD: (Parliament Times) NAB Rawalpindi has filed corruption Reference against Yousaf Raza Gillani, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Saleem, former Principal Information Officer (PIO), PID, Farooq Awan, former Secretary Ministry of Information Technology, Riaz Asher Siddiqui, former Chief Executive Officer, Universal Services Fund (USF), Inam Akbar, CEO Midas, Syed Hasan Shikoh, former Company Secretary, USF and Muhammad Hanif, former PA to PRO IT by misuse of authority in illegal publicity campaign through M/s Midas Pvt Ltd and attempt to cause loss to national exchequer.
As per details, that in 26th Universal Services Fund (USF) dated 28-12-2011, accused Yousaf Raza Gillani (the then Prime Minister), being Minister for Information Technology (IT) and as Chairman of Universal Services Fund (USF), directed to run a media campaign for highlighting the achievements of Universal Services Fund (USF). Farooq Awan, former Secretary Ministry of Information Technology misused his authority in award of illegal publicity campaign through M/S Midas Pvt Ltd against Rules and attempted to cause loss to national exchequer. Inam Akbar CEO M/s Midas violated the Press Information Department (PID) instructions and prescribed procedures regarding media campaigns and undertook the entire electronic media campaign without getting any written orders (Release Order) neither from Ministry of Information Technology nor from Universal Services Fund (USF) and served bill for payment.
The media campaign was launched by M/s Midas (Pvt) Ltd which was not on the panel of Universal Services Fund, neither before, nor afterward. However, it was manipulated by accused Riaz Asher Siddique, CEO USF to place it on the panel in connivance with accused Muhammad Saleem, PIO and PID to legitimize the media campaign and to facilitate payment of Rs. 128 million. There was no competition held for formally awarding the media campaign, which is totally against the PPRA rules and policy guidelines by M/o Information Broadcasting and Press Information Department (PID).
The accused persons in connivance with each other processed for an ex-post facto approval by the Board to legitimize the payment to M/s Midas (Pvt) Ltd and to cause loss to National Exchequer to the tune of Rs.128 Million Approx. However, due to timely cognizance by NAB, illegal payment was stopped to M/s Midas. Reference was filed by NAB Rawalpindi before the Judge Accountability Court, Islamabad on 06.09.2018.
