ISLAMABAD: A financial scandal involving billions of rupees has been unearthed in an attached department of the Ministry of Railways, according to sources.
The sources said that federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique had constituted a committee to look into the matter and submit a report within 60 days.
Rizwan Bhatti, managing director of the department — Railways Estate Development and Marketing Company — has been accused of misusing railways land.
His name has been put on the Exit Control List.
A spokesperson for Pakistan Railways said the inquiry committee was being led by Financial Adviser and Chief Accounting Officer Parveen Agha and its members were DG Operations Aftab Akbar and the chief marketing manager of the ministry.
An official of the ministry, who did not want to be identified, told Dawn that Mr Bhatti used to deal with issues like advertisements, hoardings, franchises and other matters of the department concerned.
He said there had been no check on the dealings reached by Mr Bhatti over the past seven years and there were allegations that during the previous government several people in Islamabad claimed that they could arrange a deal regarding the lease of railways land against a handsome commission.