Letter reveals case of erroneous suspension

ISLAMABAD:

In a major development in the investigation into the wheat import scandal, questions have been raised about the federal government’s decisions. One of the suspended officials, Dr Syed Waseem-ul-Hasan, had nothing to do with wheat farming.

Dr. Hasan, the Food Commissioner I, was suspended on the recommendation of the committee. He has written a letter to the federal government detailing these issues, saying that his suspension has severely affected his 31-year career and affected his health due to a heart condition.

A serious error was discovered in the Federal Government’s suspension letter. Dr. Hasan is serving as Food Commissioner I in the Department of Food Security, but the Department of Food Security’s suspension letter incorrectly listed his position as Food Commissioner II.

The responsibilities of Food Commissioner II include oversight of Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) and wheat matters, while Food Commissioner I is in charge of by-products like rice, lentils, etc.

In the case of wheat import, Syed Waseem-ul-Hasan was appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Ministry of Food and Security.

He was appointed OSD on October 12, 2023 and reappointed as Food Commissioner I on March 19, 2024. In his role as Food Commissioner I, Dr. Hasan had no connection with wheat cultivation.

Dr. Hasan has written to the Federal Government requesting that his suspension be lifted. In his letter, he mentioned that he was wrongly referred to as Food Commissioner II in the suspension letter.

His duties as Food Commissioner I included by-products such as pulses and vegetables and he had nothing to do with wheat import matters. In his letter, he further stated that he was not consulted on matters related to wheat imports. His suspension has not only damaged his long-standing career but also seriously affected his health due to his heart condition.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set up a committee after learning that over 600,000 tonnes of wheat were imported in the first two months of the incumbent government, even though the country already had stocks of over 113,000 tonnes of wheat.

According to sources, the decision to import wheat was taken during the tenure of the last caretaker government and the import process continued even after the PML-N government came to power.