ISLAMABAD: A mega corruption scandal has rattled the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC).
According to a local news agency, the scientists of the council purchased seeds worth over Rs 20 million to grow Salicornia, but the seeds were never planted and the project has now been abandoned.
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As per the parliamentary committee’s report, the PARC scientists planned to grow Salicornia crop in coastal areas of the country for a bio-fuel project and had gotten the grant of approximately Rs 225 million from Central Working Development Party (CWDP).
“Initially, the PARC scientists secured funds of Rs 20 million from Ministry of Finance and promised to purchase the seeds for this crop from abroad. However, about Rs 7 million were spent on the purchase of the seeds, which were later wasted in storage,” the report added.
The report further revealed that the PARC scientists ended the project after two years. It added that the PARC officials had to provide these seeds to regional farmers to achieve the desired results for the said project but it was never done.
