Minister Attaullah Tarar to personally pursue Rs 1.24 Billion embezzlement case in APP funds

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar announced he would himself pursue the Rs1.24 billion embezzlement case in the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) funds, at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting that took place here on Wednesday.

He provided this answer to a query posed by Senator Sarmad Ali, who inquired why the FIR had not been registered even after ten-plus months of the Rs1.24 billion scam getting exposed.

Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar revealed that APP Managing Director Muhammad Asim Khichi had found a huge scam

He promised the committee that he would take up the case personally for the registration of an FIR against the culprits.
It was also informed in the meeting that the figure mentioned in the mega corruption scam had been properly authenticated in the Commercial Audit Report 2023-24 and 2025-26.

In addition, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also issued instructions to the FIA to take legal action to recover the misappropriated amount.

The gathering was presided over by Senator Barrister Ali Zafar and included Senators Irfan Siddiqui, Pervaiz Rashid, Jan Mohammad Belaidi, Syed Waqar Mehdi, and high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, including Secretary Ambreen Jan and Additional Secretary Ashfaq Khalil.

Talking to media persons after the meeting, Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi stated that he will bring the issue to the Senate. He added that the time taken to register the case was puzzling, particularly when the APP administration had already provided documentary proof to the FIA.