ISLAMABAD - The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has initiated an inquiry against the illegal appointments and extensions at Management Position Scales (MP-Scales) at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to recover the amount incurred on the salaries and other benefits of officials who were appointed on the said positions. 
According to information, the FIA has sought comments from the Higher Education Commission Chairman on a complaint that requested the agency to initiate criminal proceedings against Dr Sohail Naqvi, former HEC Executive Director and other officials who served Higher Education Commission in MP-Scales at different positions and periods to recover the pay and benefits these officials availed while serving on illegal appointments.  The document available with TheNation said as the Establishment Division has already declared these appointments and extensions illegal, it is therefore requested that a criminal proceedings against Dr Sohail Naqvi, being the principal accounting officer of Higher Education Commission, be initiated.
Other officials who have served in MP-Scales I to III in different periods and have been named to be included in the probe are Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, Dr Mehmood Raza, Dr Riaz H Qureshi, M Jalil Ahmad, Khwaja Azam Ali, Noor Amna, Anees Sadozai, Ms Zia Batool, Dr M Latif and Anwar Amjad. The amount incurred on the salaries and other perks and privileges of these officials runs into millions as complained in the letter written to the investigation agency.
It’s important to be stated that the Federal Audit Report has also pointed out irregular renewal of contracts of PM-Scales officers and irregular payment of salaries amounting to Rs. 23. 759 million. The report objected that renewal of contracts of MP-Scales beyond the four years and without the prior approval of Prime Minister was irregular and unauthorised and all the actions taken by the former ED as Principal Accounting Officer were illegal.
Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr. Javaid Laghari mentioned ‘I don’t know of any violations in MP-Scales at HEC before my time’.
And the recent extensions were also based on exactly the same policy and procedure that was always adopted.