The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has initiated a thorough investigation into allegations of answer book replacement in the Central Superior Services (CSS) 2022 exam, leading to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR).

The FIR targets an official of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), two candidates, and another individual accused of orchestrating the illicit operation.

As the FIR unfolds, the role of Ex-Deputy Director FPSC, Mumtaz Hussain Shoukat, and others is set to be thoroughly examined during the investigation. The scandal raises concerns about the integrity of the CSS examination process, a critical avenue for recruiting top-tier government officials.

Whistleblower complaint triggers action

The FIR comes on the heels of a whistleblower complaint lodged by Unsar Hayat Gonsdal, Director General (Administration) at FPSC, Islamabad. The complaint prompted an inquiry (number 322/2023) that revealed startling details of the alleged malpractice, leading to the registration of the FIR.

The accused individuals include Nadeem Mohammad Khan, an Assistant (BS-16) posted in the Secrecy Branch of FPSC, along with two CSS candidates – Ali Sher and Hular Ahmed. The FIR suggests that Khan managed to replace the answer sheets of the two candidates during the CSS Examination 2022.

An internal fact-finding inquiry, conducted by a committee comprising Syed Ahmed Babur Zaidi, Zaheer Parvaiz Khan, and Akbar Hussain Durrani, revealed that Nadeem Muhammad Khan replaced the answer books of Ali Sher and Hular Ahmed with originals attempted by the candidates in examination halls. The motive behind the alleged tampering was pecuniary gains amounting to Rs. 1 million.

During the internal inquiry, it was discovered that the serial numbers of the replaced answer books differed from those recorded on the attendance sheets in the examination halls. Furthermore, out of the twenty-four answer books scrutinized, twenty-two were not issued by the examination cell to any hall/center in the CSS 2022 exam.

The FIR has invoked legal charges under sections 34, 161, 409, 201 PPC (Pakistan Penal Code) and 5(2) 47 PCA (Prevention of Corruption Act) against Nadeem Muhammad Khan, Assistant FPSC (BS-16), and the implicated candidates, Halar Ahmed and Ali Sher. Muhammad Ibrahim, who allegedly facilitated the operation, is also named in the FIR.