ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Communications has rejected allegations of corruption, nepotism and embezzlement levelled against its incumbent Secretary, Ali Sher Mehsud.
An anonymous application circulating for the past few days accused Mr Mehsud of authorising the release of billions of rupees from the road maintenance account under the pretext of “emergency works.” The unsigned document alleged that, on his directions, massive expenditures were being made without proper authorisation or adherence to Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules in several regions.
It further claimed that contracts worth billions of rupees had been manipulated in favour of his preferred contractors, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit, Lahore, Multan and Karachi, and that multiple works were being awarded on verbal instructions. The names of two individuals — Fazal Mahsood and Imran Dar — were mentioned as alleged frontmen of the secretary, purportedly securing contracts across different regions without due process.
When approached for comment, Ministry of Communications spokesperson Farina Mughal categorically refuted the allegations. She said the application appeared to be fake, as it carried no signatures and merely mentioned “NHA employees” as the source. She added that no such complaint had been received in the office of Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan.
Well placed sources inside NHA in background discussions revealed that the allegations in said application are not totally baseless but needs investigation to unearth the reality.
This is not the first time Mr Mehsud has faced scrutiny over integrity concerns. In the past, he was reportedly removed from his post as Member Administration of the National Highway Authority (NHA) following allegations of corruption and misuse of authority.
He also remained under investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for alleged irregularities related to the operation of a service area on the Islamabad–Peshawar Motorway (M-1), which he was accused of running without lawful justification. In another inquiry, NAB probed alleged embezzlement in a Rs1 billion solar power project in the FATA Directorate, where he served as General Manager Finance.
His service record further reflects that he was twice superseded for promotion from BS-21 to BS-22 by the High Powered Selection Board — first during the PTI government and later under the PDM administration — over integrity-related concerns flagged by relevant departments. Instead of challenging his supersession in court, he reportedly sought alternative channels to secure his promotion.
Ali Sher Mehsud, a BS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, has been holding the look-after charge of Secretary Communications since November 2023. He was initially posted as Special Secretary Communications in August 2023 by the caretaker government, with responsibilities largely limited to postal services despite his prior experience at the NHA. His role expanded after then Secretary Communications, Capt (Retd) Khurram Agha, assumed the position of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
Although Mehsud later obtained authority to act as the Principal Accounting Officer, his repeated attempts to secure permanent posting orders for the secretary’s slot.
