Pak EPA Scandal: Alleged Favouritism, Import Delays Cost Poultry Sector $800m
Nadeem Tanoli
Islamabad: The Senate was informed that four complaints of alleged corruption, misappropriation, malpractice, favouritism and administrative delay had surfaced against former Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency Director General Ms. Farzana Altaf Shah during the last five years, including serious accusations of creating a monopoly in the Environmental Impact Assessment process and delaying GMO soybean meal import licences allegedly causing an estimated $800 million annual loss to the poultry sector. However, Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Mr. Musadik Masood Malik told the House that Ms. Farzana Altaf Shah was suspended and faced inquiry proceedings, but was later exonerated before taking early retirement from government service.
The details were placed before the Senate in response to a question by Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood, who had asked the Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination to provide details of corruption, misappropriation and malpractice cases surfaced in Pak EPA during the last five years, along with the names and designations of employees found involved and the action taken against them.
In his written reply, Mr. Musadik Masood Malik stated that there had been four complaints against only one officer, Ms. Farzana Altaf Shah, former Director General of Pak EPA. The complaints were filed by the Islamabad Association of Environmental Consultants, Zubair Feeds (Pvt.) Ltd., Pioneer Foods (Pvt.) Ltd., and Pakistan Poultry Association.
The most serious allegations came from the Islamabad Association of Environmental Consultants, which accused the former DG Pak EPA of allowing unethical practices inside the Environmental Impact Assessment Directorate. The association alleged that a monopoly had been created in the EIA Directorate to favour a selected group of environmental consultants. According to the complaint, several of these consultants were allegedly working under the banner of an “Environmental Academy” established inside Pak EPA premises.
The association further alleged that the Director EIA/Monitoring, under the directions of the DG Pak EPA, called project proponents for “scoping of the project” before submission of reports and recommended selected consultants during those sessions. The complaint claimed that project proponents were pressured to hire preferred consultants and were allegedly threatened with disapproval of projects if they refused.
The Islamabad Association of Environmental Consultants also alleged that when project proponents chose consultants independently on merit, the DG Pak EPA and Director EIA/Monitoring used the scoping sessions to criticize and insult those consultants. The association said such conduct damaged the professional standing of qualified environmental consultants and undermined transparency in the environmental approval process.
Another controversial allegation concerned a “pre public hearing” system. The association claimed that Pak EPA had created an additional step where proponents and consultants were required to present their cases before the DG Pak EPA in the committee room before going through the formal public hearing process under the IEE/EIA regulations. The complaint alleged that this created an extra burden on the public and consultants because the DG did not attend public hearings as required by law.
The second major complaint came from Zubair Feeds (Pvt.) Ltd., a poultry feed manufacturer. The company complained to the Chairman of the Prime Minister Complaint Cell at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, with copies to the Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission and the Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination. The complaint accused the DG Pak EPA of not processing its application for import of genetically modified soybean meal.
Zubair Feeds stated that soybean meal is a key ingredient in poultry feed production and that any obstruction in its import directly affects the poultry industry and national food security. The company said it had first submitted an application through the Institutional Biosafety Committee of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, and later submitted a fresh application through the Institutional Biosafety Committee of the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab.
According to Zubair Feeds, all queries raised by Pak EPA were answered, and representatives of the Institutional Biosafety Committee visited the Pak EPA office several times to request early processing. The company alleged that despite completing all procedural and regulatory requirements, its application remained pending and was being deliberately delayed by the DG Pak EPA with alleged mala fide intent.
The company further claimed that applications of nearly 60 companies for genetically modified soybean seed had been approved by the Technical Advisory Committee and licences were issued, while its application for soybean meal remained pending. Zubair Feeds alleged that this amounted to discrimination and caused financial losses to the company while also affecting the poultry feed supply chain. The complaint was submitted by the Company Secretary of Zubair Feeds (Pvt.) Ltd.
The Pakistan Poultry Association also raised strong objections over the non issuance of licences for GMO soybean meal imports. The association called the issue a “great matter of concern” and said the delay needed to be investigated. It stated that the matter had already been resolved by the National Biosafety Committee and approved by the Federal Cabinet, but Pak EPA continued to create hurdles in the issuance of import licences.
The Pakistan Poultry Association alleged that these delays had caused an estimated annual loss of around $800 million to the poultry sector. The association argued that soybean meal does not pose a biosecurity threat because it cannot be used for soybean germination. It also stated that importing soybean meal would save foreign exchange because the meal has lower moisture, lower husk content and higher protein per ton compared with other alternatives.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, the government’s reply stated that Ms. Farzana Altaf Shah, former Director General Pak EPA, was suspended and inquiry proceedings were held against her. The reply added that after the inquiry she was exonerated. It further stated that she later applied for early retirement and retired from government service.
The official reply therefore presented two sides of the matter. On one side, several complainants accused the former DG Pak EPA of favouritism, procedural delays, discrimination, pressure tactics and obstruction in soybean meal import approvals. On the other side, the ministry informed the Senate that after formal inquiry proceedings, the officer was cleared of the allegations and then retired from service.
The case has raised fresh questions about transparency, fairness and accountability inside Pak EPA, especially in environmental approvals, EIA procedures and import related regulatory permissions.
Copied From: Pak EPA Scandal: Alleged Favouritism, Import Delays Cost Poultry Sector $800m – Peak Point
