F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Fuad Ishaq alleged secretary general Sajjad Aziz and two other employees for involvement in massive corruption and transaction of millions of rupees in their personal bank accounts through illegal means.
Addressing a news conference here at chamber house on Thursday, Fuad Ishaq vowed that all culprits involved in this mega corruption scam will be soon brought to justice. He said enquiry would be also conducted through FIA and police after completion of internal investigation into the corruption, besides cases would also be lodged against the accused.
During the presser, SCCI’ vice president Ejaz Khan Afridi, executive members Muhammad Arshad Siddique, Minhajuddin, Qurtul Ain, Affaf Ali Khan, Kashif Amin, Muhammad Ismail Safi, former presidents Haji Muhamamd Afzal, Zahidullah Shinwari, Hasnain Khurshid, Riaz Arshad, Malik Niaz Ahmad, Zulfiqar Ali Khan, former senior vice presidents Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Imran Khan Mohmand, Engr Mansoor Elahi, former president Industrialists Association Peshawar Malik Imran Ishaq, Saddar Gul, Faiz Rasool, Rashid Iqbal Siddique, Ishtiaq Muhammad, and others were present.
Fuad Ishaq said a gang of three persons was involved in corruption including secretary general Sajjad Aziz which have caused this gang red-handed and recovered a hefty amount Rs5 million from a culprit, who was deputy secretary/incharge visa section Amjad Ali.
He gave various pieces of evidence against the secretary general Sajjad Aziz, calling him the main culprit of this mega corruption scandal. He added financial and administrative irregularities were unearthed by the chamber IT experts. He alleged Secretary General Sajjad Aziz involved in corruption millions of rupees, saying that further investigation is underway in this regard.
As per initial inquiry report, he informed the media that during the last six month, a hefty amount of over Rs10 million in the account of Sajjad Aziz. He furthermore revealed that the visa processing agents were also involved with secretary general and these agents accepted that Sajjad Aziz got Rs7.2 million from them during the last three months.
He vowed the chamber cabinet and businessman forum will spare these black sheep and all culprits involved in this mega corruption scam will be brought to justice soon.
Fuad Ishaq said corruption has been done in the head of E-bill for Afghanistan. He added secretary general Sajjad Aziz, Deputy Secretary Abdul Nasir and Deputy Secretary Visa Section Amjad Ali got Rs50,000 per visa letter instead of official fixed Rs10,000 while this official visa letter fee Rs10,000 wasn’t deposited in the chamber account.
Similarly, he said fake receipts of E-bills for Afghanistan were also prepared and also fake bank stamps were put on these receipts. To a question, he said Secretary General Sajjad Aziz has been terminated from service as per decision of the executive committee, while Amjad Ali had resigned on December 30, 2023 while Abdul Nasir was suspended due to involvement in this mega corruption scam.
He informed that corruption has been made in 221 cases out of 472, according to which head of E-bills, 47 per cent cases were embezzled. He elaborated deputy secretary Abdul Nasir has done corruption in 47 cases in which he accepted only 37 cases.
Furthermore, he revealed Amjad Ali through home processed visa letters over Rs1 million, and this email is also accessible to secretary general Sajjad Aziz. He said data of Secretary General Sajjad Aziz also gathered.
Fuad Ishaq said there were reports that 13 people with guarantee letter of the SCCI arrested in Hong Kong by Chinese authorities, and its reporting to government through interior ministry on which FIA had wrote letter to the chamber, which secretary general without bringing into notice of authorities concerned, done all matters independently, due to which Chinese embassy blacklist SCCI guarantee letter.
He said SCCI has written letters to the Chinese Ambassador and FPCCI president and sought a joint meeting to resolve the matter and ensure transparency in visa letter issuance and eradicate fakeness forever.
