Corruption case against STO MD sent to PG Office

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has sent a case against the Managing Director of State Trading Organisation (STO), Shahid Ali, to the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office, alleging him of inappropriate use of a company credit card.

ACC said that the investigation was conducted following complaints that Shahid used a company credit card to pay for a medical treatment for his younger sibling.

ACC’s investigations revealed that the credit card used by Shahid was a corporate card approved by STO Board of Directors under Shahid’s name in 2009, to be used for corporate purposes.

Shahid had however used the card to make personal payments, including paying for his sibling’s medical treatment.

ACC noted that Shahid made these payments before the Board of Directors passed on 11 October 2011 that the “STO Corporate Credit Card can be used to make personal payments if absolutely necessary”.

ACC said that according to Shahid, he used the credit card in line with the rules on provision of loans to employees of STO and their families for medical treatment.

ACC accused that Shahid, however, did not request for the loan from the STO Staff Loan Committee prior to using this money, as required by the rules.

ACC submitted the case against Shahid to PG Office on 26 September, for using his position to obtain undue advantage which is a crime under the Prevention and Prohibition of Corruption Act.

ACC is also investigating a complaint filed by a private individual last year, accusing former Chairman of ACC Faroog Umar of using the same credit card for personal purposes.