ISLAMABAD: The case of illegal recruitments in Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) landed in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday.

ZTBL is a public sector enterprise with 100% ownership of Federal Government. It is functioning as a public limited company with express purpose of ensuring good governance and autonomy through an independent Board of Directors appointed by the Federal Government. The organization remained under the supreme control of President ZTBL Talat Mehmood who allegedly misused his authority and recruited about 1200 officers without observing due process of law and in violation of ZTBL’s own recruitment policy.

The documents submitted to NAB reveal that a complaint was lodged by Syed Muntazir Mehdi forwarded by Director General Commercial Audit through letter No.1642/Admn/Complaint/ZTBL/ 2016 on August 23, 2016. This complaint was also forwarded to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for investigation. However, due to influence of Syed Talat Mehmood the then President ZTBL neither the bank management took any action against the neither delinquents nor FIA authorities proceeded in the matter.

A similar complaint containing massive illegal appointments against senior positions i.e. Executive Vice President, Senior Vice Presidents, Vice President and Assistant Vice President etc., receiving salaries between Rs.1,00,000/- to Rs.6,00,000/-including free of cost vehicles on ownership basis valued between Rs.12,00,000/-to Rs.22,00,000/-, was lodged before National Accountability Bureau (NAB)  by the General Secretary of CBA Union on  April 16, 2018 is also under enquiry process in NAB.

The sources said,  due to inaction by the relevant authorities i.e. FIA, NAB and ZTBL management, the “incompetent” Executives are gaining  Rs 100  million as salaries and perks.

The complainant Syed Muntazir Mehdi, had questioned the appointment of Talat Mehmood as President of ZTBL on number of grounds. However, the Federal Government terminated his services on October 15, 2018. After removal of  Talat Mehmood from ZTBL, Sheikh Amanullah has been appointed acting’ President ZTBL.  The  complainant had questioned the appointment of Mehboob Hussain as Chief Finance Officer/EVP.

The incumbent acting President has initiated action against Mehbood Hussain wherein exactly the same charges as contained in the complainant have been framed against him.

NAB  has  been informed that the  bank’s operations in the field of HR, business efficiency and discipline are being controlled by the following illegally recruited Executives hired on the basis of political influence.

Asadullah Habib,  having MBA executive from Preston University which is not a degree and even having less CGPA from 2.5 lakh– Executive Vice President –Divisional Head (Branch Operation Div.) – salary, Rs.500,000/-. Aamir Zafar Chaudhry – Executive Vice President –Divisional Head (Information Tech Div.) – salary, Rs.400,000/, Masood Kharral – Senior Vice President –Divisional Head (Vigilance Div.) – salary, Rs.250,000/, Zahid Iqbal – Senior Vice President – Zonal Chief Multan – salary, Rs.200,000/, Abdul Qayyum Sukhera Matric 3rd Div, second divisional in his career with qualification Political Science. Not related degree of banking having less CGPA from 2.5 – Senior Vice President –Zonal Chief Okara – salary, Rs.250,000/, Khurram Hameed Qureshi – Senior Vice President – Departmental Head (HR Policy) – salary, Rs.280,000/, Mirza Kaleem Akhtar – Senior Vice President – Zonal Chief Sialkot– salary, Rs.250,000/, shoukat Mehboob – Senior Vice President – Zonal Chief Sargodha – salary, Rs.250,000/, Saad Aftab –Vice President – Departmental Head (Public Relations) – salary, Rs.180,000, 

Hassan Isfahani – Vice President – Zonal Chief Lahore – salary, Rs.200,000 and Agha Shehzad Gul – Senior Vice President – Zonal Chief Islamabad – salary, Rs.180,000/-

The source said, prescribed rules and procedure were not followed as no equal opportunity was provided to other aspirants with written test not held. 

Presently, the  bank is working on ad-hocism and junior most senior vice presidents whose service is not even two years are working as Acting executive vice president where as senior SVPS with more than ten year experience are sitting without any division.

The junior most SVPS who are posted as acting EVP are as follows ;(i) Saleem Safder SVP as acting EVP;(ii) Hakeem Khan SVP as acting EVP;(iii) Anjum Abbas SVP as acting EVP;(iv) Waqass Ahmed SVP as acting EVP;(v) Col (R) M Massood Kharal SVP as acting EVP and ;(vi)  Saeed Ahmed SVP as Acting EVP.

The BoD approved SVP level officer be posted as Zonal Chief where as majority VPs are posted as acting zonal chief to please politically influential people and even the zonal chiefs are in the same position for more than four years on the recommendation of previous government.—MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN