Tue, 21-Oct-2025

ECC approves Rs 1.8 billion budget for President and PM VVIP planes

ECC approves Rs 1.8 billion budget for President and PM VVIP planes

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs 1.8 billion to overhaul the engines of two VVIP planes used by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for state duties, news source reported. Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired the ECC … Read more

FIA arrests MD PASSCO, others in wheat scam case

FIA arrests

LAHORE: Federal Investigation Agency Anti-Corruption Circle Lahore arrested Managing Director Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Services Corporation Ltd (PASSCO) and others in wheat scam.

FIA ​​Anti-Corruption Circle registered a case for large-scale irregularities in the sale of PASSCO wheat and arrested 7 accused including former MD PASSCO Saeed Ahmed Nawaz.

According to FIA spokesperson, General Manager Commercial Shahid Ibrahim and General Manager Commercial Imran Nazir were arrested while Zonal Head Iftikhar Uddin, Buyer Muhammad Saeed and Nasir Ali were also arrested.

The Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission had given the task of investigating flood-affected wheat tenders to FIA.

It should be noted that 40,000 metric tons of PASSCO wheat was affected in Sindh and Balochistan in 2022, PASSCO issued a tender in June 2023 for the sale of flood-affected wheat.

Contrary to the conditions, the buyers were given an illegal discount of 10% in the form of performance guarantee in the tender. By changing these conditions, only 39 million rupees were collected in the government treasury.

The FIA ​​spokesperson said that according to the rules, Rs 276 million was to be deposited in the government treasury.

[embedpost slug=”fia-arrests-iesco-officials-on-taking-bribe”]

Read more

PM directs preparing action plan for PASSCO’s privatization

PASSCO

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the authorities concerned to prepare an action plan for the privatisation of the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Cooperation (PASSCO).

The prime minister, chairing a meeting to discuss the matters related to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research and PASSCO, also instructed to carry out the restructuring of the Wheat Board.

He said the restructured Wheat Board should include representatives of farmers, Land Information Management System and PASSCO.

The prime minister called for taking effective measures to enhance the yield of wheat and other crops.

He asked the relevant authorities to formulate an alternate strategy for wheat procurement by the federal government and holding consultation with the provincial governments and also those of Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as relevant departments.

[embedpost slug=”pm-stresses-using-technology-for-effective-enforcement-of-customs-duties”]

Read more