Court grants one-day remand of PARC officials

ISLAMABAD. The court of Judicial Magistrate Ahmed Shehzad Gondal extended the physical remand of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Chairman Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali and Director Establishment Akhlaq Ahmed, who are in the custody of the FIA, by one more day.

During the hearing on Thursday, the accused were produced in court after completing their three-day physical remand. The PARC Chairman Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali and Director Establishment Akhlaq Ahmed were arrested by the FIA on charges of unlawful recruitments. Former President High Court Bar Association Riyat Ali Azad defended the accused and took the plea that all recruitments were made on merit for which regular advertisements were also given.

The FIA requested for another 7-day physical remand of the accused. The prosecutor said that the Chairman PARC was arrested on charges of illegal recruitments and misuse of powers. The Chairman PARC recruited 332 people illegally against 164 approved posts. He sought more remand for evidence. The court extended the physical remand of the accused by one day. Both the accused will be presented in court again on July 18 after the completion of the remand.

The FIA had registered a case against 19 officers including PARC Chairman. The Public Accounts Committee had handed over the issue of unlawful recruitments in the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council to the FIA.