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ISLAMABAD, Aug 06 (APP): Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that he would personally follow up on the Rs1.24 billion embezzlement case in the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) funds, during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting held here Wednesday.
He gave this response to a question raised by Senator Sarmad Ali, who asked why FIR had not been lodged even after more than ten months of the exposure of the Rs1.24 billion scam.
Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar said the Managing Director of APP, Muhammad Asim Khichi, had uncovered a major scam involving misappropriation of Rs 1.24 billion provident fund (PF) and employees-related expenses (ERE) in the organization. He assured the committee that he would pursue the case himself for registration of an FIR against those responsible.
It was further told to the meeting that the amount mentioned in the mega corruption scam was duly endorsed in the Commercial Audit Report 2023-24 and 2025-26.
Moreover, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had also issued directions to FIA for initiating legal action to recover the embezzled funds.
The meeting was chaired by Senator Barrister Ali Zafar and attended by Senators Irfan Siddiqui, Pervaiz Rashid, Jan Mohammad Belaidi, Syed Waqar Mehdi, and senior officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, including Secretary Ambreen Jan and Additional Secretary Ashfaq Khalil.
Speaking to media after the meeting, Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi said he would raise the matter in the Senate. He said the delay in registering the case was concerning, especially when the APP administration had already submitted documentary evidence to the FIA.