KARACHI: A key prosecution witness has testified before an accountability court that Rs3.93 million was misappropriated in the name of security arrangements on campuses of the Federal Urdu University of Art, Science (Fuuast) in Islamabad and Karachi.

During her examination-in-chief, Fuuast assistant professor and head of the geology department Seema Naz Siddiqui testified that she had lodged a complaint with the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau and its director general of Sindh in October 2014 regarding misappropriation of funds.

The witness deposed that being a member of the senate of the federal government-run university, she discovered that director (finance) Muhammad Ali Chaudhry had signed an agreement with the Sardar’s Security firm, owned by his sister Huma Sajid Qureshi, under which more than 150 security guards were hired against a payment of Rs500,000 per month for security on the university campuses in Islamabad and Karachi.

The witness further deposed that accused Dr Zafar Iqbal, who was appointed vice chancellor in 2014, had appointed Muhammad Ali Chaudhry out of turn and without approval of the senate, as he did not have the required qualification. Secondly, he was also an employee of the Sindh government, she added.

The witness deposed that there was no reason to hire private security guards as the university had its own security and Rangers were also posted there.

She alleged that the director (finance) made nine instalments of Rs1,760,000 each to the private security firm from the varsity’s account of fixed budget, while Rs20 million was also paid from the account of income. The accused made payments of nearly Rs3.93 million, the witness deposed.

After recording her examination-in-chief, the accountability court judge fixed the matter for July 4 for cross-examination of the witness by lawyer for the accused.

In the meanwhile, the court also reissued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of two absconding suspects — former dean of the engineering faculty of the university Abdul Razzaq Memon and Sarwarul Mulk. It directed the investigating officer to arrest and produce them in court on the next date of hearing.

In August 2017, the federal anti-graft watchdog had arrested former director of planning and development of Fuuast Naeem Akhtar for allegedly misappropriating over Rs80 million by awarding illegal contracts.

According to NAB, the detained suspect with some other officials of Fuuast in collusion with one another had allegedly awarded tenders to a specific contractor by misusing their authority and in violation of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules.

Later, the federal anti-graft watchdog had arrested three persons — then vice chancellor Dr Zafar Iqbal, Dr Fahimuddin, ex-registrar, and Naeem Amjad, the director of Fuuast sub-campus in Lahore.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2018