ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday dismissed bail petitions of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Chairman Dr Ghulam Mohammad Ali and co-accused Mohammad Ikhlaq Malik in a high-stakes corruption case involving illegal recruitment of 332 individuals against only 164 sanctioned posts.

FIA prosecutors highlighted the chairman’s direct role in the recruitment of 332 employees — double the approved posts — through advertisements issued in 2022–2023.

The FIA contends the process involved “bribery and manipulation” to favour specific candidates, violating all official procedures.

Nineteen (19) PARC officials, including Dr Ali, have been formally implicated in the FIR.

The scandal came to the surface after a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry exposed systemic irregularities in the recruitment.

FIR No. 39/2025, registered on July 13, 2025, charges the accused under: Sections 409, 468, 471 PPC (criminal breach of trust, forgery, using forged documents). Section 5(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 (criminal misconduct by public servants).

Justice Mohammad Asif dismissed bail pleas, highlighting that the recruitment was executed in “utter disregard for transparency and merit,” with no corrigenda or approvals.

Citing Section 409 PPC (punishable by life imprisonment) which falls under CrPC’s “prohibitory clause,” the judge observed that the petitioners were not eligible to get relief of bail.

“Substantial loss to the national exchequer” proven via documentary evidence, the court noted.

Petitioners’ counsel claimed that no direct evidence of criminal intent was recovered or produced before the court.

He argued that PAC reference violated due process (audi alteram partem), adding that the petitioners have “unblemished service records”.

The court ruled these insufficient against the “serious nature of allegations” and “institutional integrity risks and dismissed the bail petitions accordingly.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2025