Former Haj Minister Sentenced To 16 Years In Jail

[Tari]

ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister for religious affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, was sentenced to 16 years in jail in the Haj corruption case on Friday.

Judge Malik Nazir Ahmad from special court central, a lower court, also sentenced Director General (DG) Haj Rao Shakeel to 40 years in prison. Joint secretary for religious affairs Aftab Aslam was also sentenced to 16 years.

Kazmi and Aftab were arrested from the court premises after the sentence was pronounced and escorted to Adiala Jail by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials. Shakeel is already in custody of the National Accountability Bureau in Lahore.

The verdict was announced Friday after cross-examination of 60 witnesses presented by the prosecution was concluded last week.

The sentenced have the right to appeal the decision in Islamabad High Court.

The investigation team was led by former FIA director and current Additional Inspector General Punjab Hussain Asghar. The final challan was filed in 2012 by Ghazanfar Abbas, an FIA investigation officer.

Between 2010 and 2012, the Haj corruption scandal rocked the national political scene and led to the departure of both Hamid Saeed Kazmi and Azam Swati from the federal cabinet.

The former religious affair minister was slapped with allegations of involvement in the Haj corruption scandal and inflicting huge losses to the national coffers two years ago. After which a case was registered leading to Kazmi’s arrest on March 15, 2011.

Kazmi was subsequently indicted on charges of corruption in the case on May 30, 2012, to which he pleaded not guilty.

According to the charge sheet issued to Kazmi, DG Haj Rao Shakeel and Raja Aftabul Islam, the men were indicted for fraud, cheating, misuse of authority, and causing losses to the national exchequer and the public at large.

Specifically, they were accused of hiring a substandard building on exorbitant rent (for housing the pilgrims in Makkah) and receiving kickbacks in the process.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1262506/ha...eral-minister-sentenced-to-16-years-in-prison

 

[I M Sikander]

Hang these bastards who didn't hesitate to do corruption and plundering even in hajj.

 

[Arsalan]

Lol, THIS is OUR level!! MY level!!

Still...

Amreka kutaa hai hai!!

 

[Genghis khan1]

Molvi sahab Hajj ko kisi baba ji ka chalum samaj bahtay. Socha kyun na halway ki lambi ziyafat ho jaee. Not this time, Allah decided, not with my guest.

 

[Sparkle229]

Did they not feared the Lords judgement in this world and hereafter that they the cause corruption in hajj also.what have muslims become.they should not be hanged but they should be electricuted than their heads should be cut

 

[shah1398]

Former federal minister for religious affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, was sentenced to 16 years in jail in the Haj corruption case on Friday.

Jin sahab ko inho nay 10% commission dia tha unn ka b tu kuch karain ab.

 

[Musafir117]

Mulla tola ke khilaf yahoodi hanoodi sazish

 

[Rashid Mahmood]

At least appreciate that amongst all the corruption and incompetence, an Ex-Min has been sentenced to 16 years.
Something is still working......

 

[Imran Khan]

he will be freed by high court soon

 

[Lucky Breeze]

he will be freed by high court soon

Soon there will be demonstration by the molvies of his madrasa. After his arrest he literally threatened the state that the students of my madrasa are asking for permission of suicidal attack.

 

[Max]

no worries, high court will set him free, if not high court then SC will set him free.. btw did session court recoverd looted money??

 

[RoadRunner401]

Jin sahab ko inho nay 10% commission dia tha unn ka b tu kuch karain ab.

 

[Scharfschütze]

Nishan e Ibrat bana dena chahiye...

 

[somebozo]

Yes..imagine yourself a country left to run on religion..such crooks will be order of the day!

 

[Genghis khan1]

Soon there will be demonstration by the molvies of his madrasa. After his arrest he literally threatened the state that the students of my madrasa are asking for permission of suicidal attack.

He is from the Barelvi lot, I don't think he will find anyone to commit suicide for him. We may see Tahir ul Qadri type stunt, some brain dead people getting beat-up by police.