HARIPUR: The deputy commissioner on Wednesday froze the properties and assets of Pak-China Fertilisers (PCFL) on the orders of National Accountability Bureau.

The district administration also imposed the Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code barring any shifting of assets or land mutation deeds on the request of the Privatisation Commission to protect the land owned by PCFL.

According to a NAB order issued on August 27, a copy of which is available with Dawn, there was an inquiry going on against M/S Barq Initiative Pvt, M/S Apex Technical Services Pvt , Mohammad Rafiq Bhojani, Amir Abbas Bhojani, Zain Abbas, Ashfaq, Anees Abbas and others

under sections 12 and 18 of National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, and section 24 of Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010.

Action taken as NAB finds ‘fraudulent practices’ by firm’s directors

“During the course of inquiry it has surfaced that M/S Schon Group, through its directors/shareholders in connivance and collaboration with the subject persons and others caused loss to the national exchequer by not paying the decretal amount to Privatisation Commission and are involved in fraudulent transfers of shares and assets of PCFL situated in Haripur without the payment of the same and are attempting to establish an illegal housing society on the land acquired by the government for PCFL,” the order said.

It said the land acquired for PCFL was 1902.3 kanals in Mauza Pahnd and 234.16 kanals in Mauza Darwesh. NAB’s KP chapter ordered freezing of the assets and land in the name of PCFL.

In compliance with the directions, Deputy Commissioner Waseem Ahmed enforced the freezing order directing the district police officer to deploy security for protection of assets belonging to PCFL.

A committee headed by additional deputy commissioner (general) and comprising Haripur assistant commissioner, in-charge Service Delivery Centre and revenue staff is tasked with visiting the land owned by PCFL and doing a stocktaking exercise.

It may be added that PCFL, then a state-owned enterprise, was established during the late 80s. However, the then government privatised it in 1992 amid labour union objections and protests.

“The bid winning Schon Group had kept the unit operational till 1997, and as per official statistics it had a daily production of 350 tonnes of urea.

But the private owners who reportedly obtained huge bank loans in the name of PCFL, declared the unit sick and closed it down when there was strength of over 700 workers engaged in the production process,” Zainul Abideen, a former worker claimed.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2025