Webdesk: Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail is allegedly involved in a mega corruption scandal, as revealed in the Senate, where his company, Ismail Industries Limited, was awarded a Rs 97 billion contract under the nationwide Nashonuma Program without following PPRA rules.
Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed the Senate that the Nashonuma Program under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) was launched in 2022 with an initial allocation of Rs 2 billion.
The core objective of the initiative was to provide balanced nutrition to pregnant women and malnourished children in rural areas to improve their physical and mental development.
As Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said, the Nashonuma Program was started in 2022 and allocated an initial amount of Rs 2 billion. This program targets pregnant women and malnutrition children in rural communities, offering a balanced diet, and promoting their health and mental well-being.
Dr Fazal informed the Senate that the program’s budget was later increased to Rs 21.5 billion, and during the 2022–23 fiscal year, Miftah Ismail, then serving as Finance Minister, announced its expansion across all districts of the country.
The responsibility for procurement and distribution was handed over to the World Food Programme (WFP), and the process was carried out through WFP’s internal mechanisms, bypassing standard procurement procedures under PPRA regulations.
Dr Fazal acknowledged that the procurement was not conducted under PPRA rules and confirmed that Ismail Industries Limited was shortlisted and awarded the contract. He added that approximately Rs 97 billion has been disbursed under the program since the budget increase.
He also noted that the decision to significantly raise the program’s budget was never placed before the federal cabinet for approval, a point that further intensified concerns in the Senate. Dr Fazal said he would have no objection if the matter were referred to a parliamentary committee for further examination.
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