KARACHI: In an expected turn of events at the National Agri Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA), Dr. Muhammad Ishfaque has been removed from his position as Director Quarantine, BS-19 and transferred to Lahore, where he will serve as Deputy Director Technical, BS-18. Mr. Nasir Ahmed, junior official of BS-17 has been appointed as In-Charge mango exports at NAFSA’s head office in Karachi to look after all affairs related to mango export including mango processing, monitoring and issuance of phytosanitary certificate etc., as per SOP.
In addition, Dr. Muhammad Basit, Director Pesticides Registration, has been given look after charge of Director Quarantine post despite unclean hands & incompetence.
The controversy escalated last month when Mateen sisters failed to obtain annual accreditation for their Mango-HWTPs i.e., RMC & Get Fresh due to Dr. Ishfaque’s insistence that they must demonstrate their capacity by processing 15 metric tons of mangoes within 75 minutes along with direct print from printer linked with data logger showing both temperature and speed readings like vapour heat treatment plant. Ishfaque also refused Mateen sisters for deputation their favourite inspectors at their plants for oversight that ended up in transfer and reversion of an honest officer like Dr. Muhammad Ishfaque.
This move is reportedly part of a controversial shady deal between Mateen sisters and Dr. Syed Bilal Haider, joint secretary in food security ministry who are alleged to have collaborated to secure favourable postings at their Mango-HWTPs and favourable monitoring control and command system at NAFSA as the TPT disclosed last month.
Haider got fame as graft pocketer of Farah Gogi in Buzdar Punjab government. He is now recognized as front man of federal minister, Rana Tanvir Hussain for all crooked deals. His power can be judged from the recent transfer of Mr. Sajid Mehmood Qazi, additional secretary, BS-21 from food ministry and posting as OSD in Establishment because the latter dared to warn Haider to refrain from any unscrupulous activity in ministry and departments. Thereafter, Haider started directly reporting to secretary and minister.
Nasir Ahmed has also long history as venal person while posting in Lahore, Okara, Sargodha and Karachi. He grabs bribes, monthly, & commission from agents, fumigators, importers and exporters in exchange for issuance of official certificates without legal formalities. He has been implicated in numerous illegal activities, including illegal releases of banana and raw cotton shipments from India into Pakistan via the Wahgah border crossing by 2016, despite import ban on Indian banana to safeguard domestic banana against the Bunchy Top virus and Panama disease and cotton import permission through Karachi ports to protect local cotton production.
Ahmed has also been linked to the unauthorized release of chrysanthemum cut flowers from prohibited countries like Malaysia and export of non-compliant rice, fruit and vegetables shipments to EU and UK at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore. He has also been accused of issuing fraudulent audits reports for Sitara Traders, RMC, K.P. International, Hyder Shah, Amir Hamza, Lutfabad Farm, & F.B. Mango HWTPs and Lahore based fumigation companies, along with issuing false treatment reports and phytosanitary certificates with fabricated entries.
Earlier, Shazia Mateen has got Umer Farooq Gill, Abdul Samad, Umar Rathore, Muhammad Hanif Entomologists deputed for mango export activities by removing many honest inspectors through Bilal Haider that were not cooperating with her for approval of false capacity of her plants and for issuance of fake mango treatment certificates and phytosanitary certificates. Last year, these inspectors had not only approved 15 tons / 75 minutes capacity of Mateen sisters’ Mango HWTPs without audit but have been also issuing fake treatment certificates and phytosanitary certificates with fictional entries by greasing their palms.
The approved length of Mango-HWTP of Mateen sister is 120 feet that can only handle and process 4-5 tons mangoes per 75 minutes. Irani inspectors also approved same capacity on the basis of bogus report of NAFSA inspectors. After Ishfaque’s stand for audit with 15 tons mangoes, Shazia Mateen has to order for additional 40 feet tanks to supplement the previous plant length secretly. This illegal exercise is under process without permission from NAFSA and Iran. Any modification in approved plants not only requires permission but also requires fresh audit from NAFSA and plant protection department of Iran.
Mateen sisters have also allegedly hired the services of Israr Khan–clearing agent, fumigator and his associate, Mr. Afzal Bhatti, allegedly known as the PM’s cook to deal NAFSA at local level for facilitation of audit and operations of their Mango-HWTPs and fumigation company SSM Cargo Inspection Services Pvt. Ltd. at local level. Reports indicate that Bhatti, in conjunction with principle secretary, has influenced M/oNFS&R and NAFSA to relax monitoring and supervision protocols, enabling the Mateen sisters to process and export mangoes to Iran and Europe and offer services to importers and exporters.
Israr Khan originally belongs to Mardan district but operates from London. He managed to escape UK on discovering forgery in official record made by him while posting as computer operator in KPK statistical department leading to his dismissal. He and his son Hanzala Khan are also involved in human trafficking through Balochistan & sea routes. Afzal Bhatti has restaurant in London and operates from Islamabad now a days.
Bhatti and Khan offer services to oil seeds, pulses, cotton importers, corn and rice exporters, commercial fumigators, Mango-HWTPs, for their easy and quick approvals, audits, certification under NAFSA irrespective of their legal or illegal nature. Both have opened rate of 50 million rupees for a Mango-HWTP to continue operation without any oversight from NAFSA to export mangoes to Iran and EU, 10 million for vessel release and 10 thousand for a container release without fumigation, a stakeholder in the industry disclosed.
Hyder shah, Amir Hamza & Pak Agri-Sun Mango-HWTPs have also acquired services of Bhatti and Khan. These plants have placed temperature probes in a kettle having water temperature above 47 oC and linked it with plant’s data logger through a covert cable to show mango treatment at requisite temperature that can neither be seen nor caught through poor vision comer’s installed at the plants from command & control room maintained at NAFSA. They are also rotating poor quality mangoes in water tanks constantly having normal dirty water to show and get phytosanitary certificates from NAFSA and use the same for clearance of untreated mango trucks directly reached from orchards to Taftan border crossing.
In a related development, Mr. Sheikhi, a clearing agent in Sistan Balochistan, Iran, has reportedly collaborated with Mrs. Marayum Jalili Moghadam, head of the Iranian Plant Protection Organization. This suspicious deal allows for the entry of produce from the Mateen sisters’, hyder shah and amir hamza plants through Rizwan Traders Quetta, only and the returning of mangoes to Pakistan processed at other facilities, through false interceptions and give effect to their monopoly.
The situation has raised significant concerns among other plant operators, who are demanding impartial and transparent standard operating procedures from the government and NAFSA. They have warned that if the said plants are permitted to issue fraudulent treatment certificates for export of mangoes to Iran through Rizwan Traders, other plants will stage protests outside NAFSA and MoNFS&R office. The allegations of corruption and favouritism within the NAFSA and MoNFS&R have sparked outrage, prompting calls for accountability.
As the story develops, the implications for the integrity and image of the NAFSA and the broader agricultural sector remain to be seen. Stakeholders are urging immediate action to ensure compliance with standards and fair treatment across all facilities.
