NAB summons former communications minister Asad Mahmood over alleged irregularities in Pakistan Post recruitment

Islamabad: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned former federal communications minister Asad Mahmood, son of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, in connection with an investigation into alleged irregularities in recruitment at the Pakistan Post Office during his tenure in 2022 and 2023.

The anti-corruption watchdog has directed Mahmood to appear before its investigation team on November 10 at 11am to respond to questions regarding the recruitment process and alleged violations of approved hiring procedures.

The investigation centres on appointments made at the Pakistan Post Office while Mahmood was serving as federal minister for communications in the coalition government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He assumed the portfolio following the removal of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government through a no-confidence motion in April 2022.

According to the NAB notice, the Establishment Division had authorised recruitment against 3,938 vacancies in the Pakistan Post Office. However, the bureau alleges that 4,252 individuals were recruited, exceeding the approved number of positions.

The notice further alleges that appointments were made against 2,646 abolished vacancies, reportedly in violation of instructions issued by the cabinet committee concerned.

Another major aspect of the investigation relates to the nature of the appointments. NAB has alleged that permanent recruitment was carried out despite recommendations that the vacancies be filled on a contractual basis through a designated testing agency.

The allegations outlined in the notice also include the use of fake or bogus documents, recruitment of candidates who were over the prescribed age limit and violations of the applicable domicile quota.

NAB has directed the former minister to appear and provide his response to the allegations as part of the ongoing inquiry. The bureau has also warned that failure to comply with the summons could lead to legal proceedings under Section 31 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

The case has also attracted the attention of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), whose Anti-Corruption Circle in Islamabad has separately issued a summons to Mahmood in connection with the same Pakistan Post recruitment controversy.

The FIA had directed the former minister to appear before its investigators on November 2 at 11am to record his statement. The agency is also examining alleged corruption and serious procedural irregularities in appointments made during his tenure as communications minister.

The parallel inquiries by NAB and the FIA place the Pakistan Post recruitment process under scrutiny by two federal investigative agencies, with the alleged discrepancies involving the number of appointments, abolished vacancies, recruitment procedures and eligibility requirements.

The allegations remain subject to investigation, and the summons issued by the two agencies do not by themselves establish wrongdoing. Mahmood’s response to the allegations and the findings of the investigations will determine the further course of the proceedings.