ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has initiated an inquiry into purportedly unauthorized appointments within the secretariat of the lower house of parliament.
According to sources, the National Assembly Secretariat has received a letter from NAB requesting information regarding appointments made to its office from 2018 to March 2024.
The correspondence specifically seeks details of recruitments during the tenures of former NA speakers Asad Qaiser and Raja Pervez Ashraf. Additionally, NAB has inquired whether these appointments were sanctioned by the finance ministry.
Queries have been raised regarding the recruitment process, including whether candidates underwent tests and interviews, and if job vacancy advertisements were published in newspapers.
NAB has instructed the secretariat to provide separate details concerning daily wage, contractual, and permanent employees, with comprehensive data being compiled for both former speakers’ terms.
In 2022, reports surfaced alleging irregularities in recruitment during Qaiser’s tenure, suggesting that over 200 secretariat employees, primarily from his constituency, were hired and promoted against established protocols.
Furthermore, it was reported that Qaiser facilitated the appointment of his brother-in-law to grade-17, subsequently transferring him to Islamabad on deputation before permanent placement in the NA.
Qaiser’s tenure also saw promotions, including that of his brother-in-law to grade 19, a day before a vote of no-confidence against then Prime Minister Imran Khan, with these promotions lacking formal deliberation or preparation.
Following a change in government, then NA speaker Ashraf initiated an inquiry into alleged irregular recruitments, seeking detailed reports on recruitment sectors, deputation appointments, and illegal promotions.
Ashraf’s political history has not been devoid of controversy, notably concerning his involvement in the awarding of contracts for rental power projects during his tenure as federal minister for water and power. While initially accused by NAB of receiving kickbacks from these projects, he was later acquitted of all charges by the courts.
