The federal government has stepped up its response to a major solar panel over-invoicing scandal, with the Prime Minister approving the creation of two senior-level committees tasked with ensuring accountability, accelerating investigations, and overseeing prosecution proceedings.
According to an official notification, a Committee on Disciplinary Proceedings has been established to examine the role of government officers and officials suspected of administrative negligence or involvement in facilitating inflated import invoices. The panel will assess supervisory failures, identify any additional officials who may have escaped earlier scrutiny, and reassess cases where prior inquiries did not result in formal charges.
The committee will be headed by Establishment Division Secretary Nabeel Awan and includes representatives from the State Bank of Pakistan, Finance Division Pakistan, Federal Board of Revenue, Federal Investigation Agency, and the Intelligence Bureau Pakistan. The body will submit progress updates to the Prime Minister’s Office every two weeks.
Alongside this, the government has formed a Committee for Monitoring Investigation and Prosecution to ensure swift legal action in cases linked to suspected trade-based money laundering arising from the scandal. The committee will coordinate investigative agencies, monitor court proceedings, and remove procedural delays in prosecution.
The second committee will be led by Rubab Sikandar, Director General Intelligence and Investigation at Pakistan Customs, and will include senior officials from customs authorities, the FIA’s anti-corruption wing, anti-money laundering institutions, the Intelligence Bureau, and the Islamabad administration. It will also provide fortnightly reports on case progress.
The Prime Minister has further directed the Ministry of Law and Justice Pakistan to appoint two dedicated special prosecutors — one each in Islamabad and Karachi — to handle cases emerging from the investigation.
The action follows findings by customs adjudication authorities that uncovered widespread fraud involving fake invoices, manipulated trade documentation, and fictitious importing firms lacking genuine business operations. Authorities have imposed penalties totaling Rs111 billion and levied personal fines against individuals linked to the scheme.
Officials say the next phase will focus on recovering outstanding penalties, tracing and seizing assets allegedly acquired through illegal proceeds, and introducing regulatory safeguards to prevent similar abuses in the future.
The scandal has also drawn criticism after an officer believed to have raised early concerns about the irregularities was suspended. Observers argue that maintaining public confidence in the accountability process will require a transparent review of both the fraud itself and the treatment of whistleblowers connected to the case.
