The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested two senior officials of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) in Islamabad as part of a major operation into alleged illegal recruitment.
The agency’s Anti-Corruption Wing confirmed the arrest of PARC Chairman Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali and Director Establishment Ikhlaq Malik.
According to an FIR registered by the FIA, the two are accused of appointing 332 individuals unlawfully against only 164 approved posts, raising serious concerns over misuse of authority.
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A case has been filed on behalf of the state, and further raids are being carried out to detain 17 other officers and staff members allegedly involved in the recruitment scandal.
FIA sources said the arrested officials will be produced in court today, where investigators are expected to request their physical remand for further questioning.
The operation marks one of the most high-profile crackdowns on alleged hiring fraud in a federal research institution.