Government orders recovery of Rs 4.1m from Leghari, Rashid

[RabzonKhan]

Government orders recovery of Rs 4.1m from Leghari, Rashid

* Government to recoup Rs 13.23 million in charges for ‘prime residences’ occupied on nominal charges from eight individuals

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: The government has ordered that Rs 4.125 million in charges for ‘prime residences’ – occupied by former president Farooq Ahmed Leghari and former federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed – be recouped, as ‘they have occupied the residences in Islamabad on nominal charges’, Daily Times has learnt.

According to data available with Daily Times, the residences are property of the Abandoned Property Organisation (APO).

The government, in all, has ordered the retrieval of Rs 13.23 million from eight individuals, including Culture Secretary Shahid Rafi, former National Security Council secretary Tariq Aziz and four other senior government officials.

Documents say that the retrievals have been ordered on the basis of the difference between the per month rent charged per square feet and the average rate per square feet or authorised ceiling.

Former president Leghari has occupied House No 4, Street 83, G-6/4 – a 1,200-square yard house – at a monthly rent of Rs 12,000 for the last seven years. He is authorised a monthly ceiling of Rs 50,000, and the outstanding sum retrievable from him amounts to Rs 2.28 million, according to the papers.

House No 10 in the same street and the same size has been under the occupation of former federal minister Sheikh Rashid at a monthly rent of Rs 11,250 since March 2003. His monthly ceiling, as a federal minister, was Rs 62,000, and he now owes the government Rs 1.85 million.

Federal Secretary Shahid Rafi has occupied the 2,000-square yard House No 7, Street 25, in Sector G-6/2 at a monthly rent of Rs 11,250 since January 2007. With a monthly ceiling of Rs 22,320, the outstanding amount against his name is Rs 66,420.

The 2,000-square yard House No 3, Street 60, in Sector F-7/4 has been under the occupation of Tariq Aziz since February 2003 at a monthly rent of Rs 7,350. He owes Rs 537,660 to the government.

Brigadier Tariq Hameed, director of the NSC, has occupied the 1,555-square yard House No 13, Street 15, in Sector F-6/3 at monthly rent of Rs 13,500 since October 2001. With a monthly ceiling of Rs 15,575, a sum of Rs 74,700 is outstanding against his name.

Dr Anis Kausar – a medical officer at Poly Clinic – is paying Rs 6,250 for a 622-square yard house in Sector F-7/3. His monthly ceiling is Rs 9,325.

Mrs Neelam S Ali, an NTC member, has been living in House No 1-A, Street 10, F-10/3 since 1981 at a monthly rent of Rs 5,000. With a monthly ceiling of Rs 17,350, she now owes the government Rs 1.3 million.

Similarly, Dr Farooq Akhtar – a former assistant director at PIMS – has been occupying the 1,067-square yard House No 10, Street 55, F-7/4 at a monthly rent of Rs 3,900. With a monthly ceiling is Rs 9,350, Farooq owes Rs 195,300 to the government.

 

[RabzonKhan]

Rs 1.975 billion misappropriations in CAA: AGP

By Sajjad Malik
December 26, 2008

ISLAMABAD: The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) on Thursday uncovered misappropriations worth Rs 1.975 billion in the accounts of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

According to the AGP’s audit report for 2006-07, CAA incurred a loss of Rs 982.6 million to the national exchequer by leasing its prime land at lower rates. It said CAA offered a 30-year lease for 8.5 acres of land on the main Shahrah-e-Faisal in Karachi at Rs 16,500 per square yard.

It said other properties in the area were leased out for Rs 50,000, Rs 63,000 and Rs 75,110 per square yard.

CAA suffered loss of Rs 843.6 million by signing a five-year lease agreement for a land in contravention with its board’s decision. In its 92nd meeting in 2001, the board fixed the annual rent of the land at one-thirtieth of its value, with a 50 percent increase in rent at the end of each year. However, the commercial and estates director in Karachi ignored the decision, incurring CAA a loss of Rs 843.6 million.

The report said CAA committed another irregularity of Rs 84.3 million by failing to recover rent and allied charges. In another case, it suffered a Rs 54.7 million-loss by not recovering monthly licence fee, including financial charges.

The AGP’s report also highlighted losses of Rs 8.2 million by not raising rents and Rs 1.3 million in revenue losses by delaying the issuance of an acceptance letter. It also suffered a Rs 1 million-loss, as it failed to recover financial charges.

 

[RabzonKhan]

Rs 1.35 billion misappropriations in Foreign Ministry accounts

By Sajjad Malik
December 26, 2008

ISLAMABAD: The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has unearthed misappropriations worth Rs 1.35 billion in the accounts of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

In the 2006-07 audit report presented in the National Assembly on Wednesday, the AGP said the accounts of the ministry, as well as those of the defence, commerce, labour and manpower, religious affairs and interior ministries and Pakistan International Airline (PIA) were audited.

"After completion of the audit process, 63 cases of a serious nature have been selected for printing in the audit report and an amount of Rs 1.359 billion has been held under observation, which includes Rs 271 million in recoveries," the AGP said.

The report said Rs 351.69 million irregularities were found in the accounts of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Rs 482.9 million in PIA.

The report also mentioned losses in various ministries falling under the Foreign Ministry’s missions abroad, with a Rs 47 million in the Commerce Ministry, Rs 10 million in the Religious Affairs Ministry, Rs 3.63 million in the Interior Ministry, Rs 2.79 in the Defence Ministry, Rs 1.8 million in the Ministry of Labour and Manpower, and Rs 1.247 million in the accounts of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The AGP also uncovered irregularities of Rs 22.777 million in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs due to non-adjustment of advances from government employees, Rs 138.48 million due to non-adjustment of advances granted to various wings of the ministry for miscellaneous purposes, Rs 90 million for irregular and uneconomical purchase of transport, furniture and equipments and Rs 39.25 million for non-surrendering of savings into government accounts.

The AGP unearthed Rs 22.258 million misappropriations in the Commerce Ministry wing of the Pakistan Mission in Washington, and of Rs 21.925 million in the commercial wings of Pakistani missions in Tokyo and Dubai.

The report said revenue record of PIA offices in Frankfurt, Dhaka, Katmandu, Colombo, New York, Singapore, Paris, New Delhi and Jeddah showed an amount of Rs 221.638 million was outstanding against various agents, who had been defaulting for years and no efforts for recovery had been made.

The airline also suffered losses of Rs 227.286 due to enormous expenditure incurred by passenger layover during the year 2003-04.

 

[RabzonKhan]

Embezzlement of Rs 1bn unearthed in NAG funds

December 28, 2008

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: In its annual report for the year 2007-08, the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has unearthed an embezzlement of over Rs 1.082 billion in funds of a project of the National Art Gallery (NAG) Islamabad.

The report said that the authorities concerned did not follow the standard procedure for payments that should have been made through crossed cheques, which led to embezzlement.

Explaining the modus operandi of the embezzlement, the report said that after obtaining signatures of the authorized officer on the cheques, the words and figures of the amounts were changed. “Instead of payments through crossed cheques, the payments were made through cash in violation of rules,” the report said.

Responding to the report, the department said that an enquiry was conducted into the embezzlement of funds and that the accused was arrested.

The department said that the accused was under trial, adding that presently all payments to employees and third parties were being made through crossed cheques.

In another case, the AGP said that the Ministry of Culture irregularly released an amount of Rs 7 million to the NWFP government for five projects. The funds were released a day before the end of financial year.

The projects for which the amount was released included Kalash Festival, Kazi Stipends, Estimate of Artifact Shop, Stipends for Imam Masjid and Heritage Trail. The audit further observed that these funds were released in violation of rules and that the said amounts remained unutilised due to non-completion of PC-I and other formalities.

Meanwhile, in another case the audit observed that the National Performing Art Group (NPAG) Karachi retained an amount of Rs 12 million meant for its restructuring and up-gradation.

The NPAG cleverly transferred the amount to the National Council of Arts Islamabad in the form of loan at the end of financial year and got it refunded from the NCA at the end of fiscal year.

 

[Awesome]

Revenge politics?

Leghari booted PPP out of politics the last time and they had a very hard time coming back. I think they're seeking vengeance.

 

[RabzonKhan]

Rs 9bn loan fraud biggest ever in Pakistani history, IHC told

By Masood Rehman
January 22, 2009

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday that the payment of a Rs 9 billion loan to a Lahore-based steel mill had culminated in the ‘biggest ever fraud in the country’s history’.

Appearing on a notice, Punjab Advocate General Khawaja Haris told a division bench – headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Aslam – that Haris Steel Mills had declared its property at the highest value and used fictitious identities to obtain the loan.

He said ‘serious offences’ had been committed by those accused in the case in collaboration with Bank of Punjab employees. He said “a total of 23 accounts were managed under the names of Muhammad Munir, Muhammad Jamil, Sheikh Muhammad Afzal, Waris Malik and others” – none of whom exist – to execute the fraud.

He also denied the authenticity of the documents used by Haris Steel Mills to obtain the loan. “Besides the names of shady personalities used for securing the loan, the names of two ghost mills – Prime Steel and Haider Steel – were also used,” he said.

He said the documents seized from those accused in the case showed that the owners of the ghost steel mills also did not exist.

“I strongly disagree with the version that it had been a matter of rescheduling or imprudence of loan,” he said, adding that it was a matter of ‘serious breach of trust’. He said an inquiry into the scam launched by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in 2007 was ‘fully legitimate’.

 

[RabzonKhan]

Farzana Raja’s better half acquitted under NRO

Monday, February 02, 2009

ISLAMABAD: Mukarram-ul-Haq, former chairman Pakistan Printing Press and husband of central leader of PPP Farzana Raja, has been acquitted under NRO.

An accountability court had been awarded punishment to Mukarram-ul-Haq in a corruption and irregularity case.

Islamabad High Court has now condoned the punishment under NRO.

 

[Jihad]

F*cking corrupt bastards, kill all of them, I hate them, they are one of the key reasons are country is going backwards.

 

[TOPGUN]

Unreal they real robbers are back in action as we all can see !! Allah maf kara ..

 

[RabzonKhan]

PAC discusses Rs 23bn misappropriations in Defence Ministry

By Muhammad Bilal
February 03, 2009

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly on Monday initiated an investigation into embezzlement worth billions of rupees in the Defence Ministry.

The PAC met at the Parliament House with Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the chair to take up the audit report on defence services for year the 2005-06 involving misappropriations worth Rs 23.239 billion. Defence Secretary Athar Ali and senior officials of the ministry and the armed forces appeared before the committee to explain the audit paras. The committee was informed that there was an unauthorised construction of a ‘Troops Family Welfare Centre’ (TFWC) costing Rs 1.497 million. The defence secretary said former vice chief of army staff General (r) Ahsan Saleem Hayat, then commander of 10 Corps, had ordered the construction.

"Let's call him in for the next meeting," Nisar said, adding that such irregularities were being committed repeatedly where public money was being spent without authorisation. However, the PAC chairman withdrew his decision of calling the former vice chief of army staff after the defence secretary assured him that a strong financial management system would be ensured in the defence services and he would convey the concerns of the committee to the services’ chiefs. The committee gave the defence secretary one-month’s time to streamline all the issues and put in place a better financial management system. The PAC chairman said action would be taken against anyone involved in financial irregularities.

The PAC also took notice of the irregular expenditure on conversion of 42 married officers’ accommodations into guest rooms in Mangla, Gujranwala, Dera Ismail Khan and Chaklala. The audit authorities informed the meeting that the charges collected from the visiting officers were also not being submitted in the government treasury. The committee gave two weeks to the Defence Ministry to provide the defaulting contractors’ details.

The defence secretary was directed to devise a schedule for the recovery of arrears from the contractors. The PAC also came to know that in its budget for 2004-05, the federal government had announced a deduction of Rs 25 from the television license fee but the amount was not being deducted from the fee given by army personnel. On the request of the defence secretary, the PAC recommended the government waive off the license fee of the past few years and start imposing it from January 1, 2009.

The PAC would take up more audit paras in its meeting today (Tuesday).

 

[A.Rahman]

F*cking corrupt bastards, kill all of them, I hate them, they are one of the key reasons are country is going backwards.

Ask Zardari to give back 60 million dollars which is in his swiss account

 

[Jihad]

Ask Zardari to give back 60 million dollars which is in his swiss account

I don't know why the Pakistani public is blind of these facts and picks people like Zardari to lead them.
Why do they not know what's best for them?

 

[RabzonKhan]

Need for transparency

Editorial
February 04, 2009

THE National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee has done well to scrutinise closely the audit reports of the defence ministry. By investing more time and effort in this exercise it has unearthed many sections in the 2005-06 report that it has described as indicating “financial irregularities” involving Rs100m. Meanwhile, costs totalling Rs23bn are being reviewed as they have not been explained satisfactorily. All this raises several pertinent issues in terms of financial transparency in government spending, especially when massive amounts are involved as is the case with the defence ministry. True, the defence budget for 2008-09 gave more details, although there was no vote on it. Since 1965, the army’s dominant role in politics saw defence spending under wraps with a one-line entry in the federal budget that did not reveal any details of the allocations for essential and non-essential expenditure. While the thrust towards greater transparency is to be commended, it is not enough. The auditors can play a more effective role in exposing corruption and thus help identify the guilty and bring them to book. The irregularities reported on this occasion may or may not run into billions of rupees. One doesn’t know whether or not the auditors have probed deep enough in areas where the scope for embezzlement is greater, for instance in arms procurement where ‘commissions’ can be a lucrative source of income.

With better budgeting and auditing practices greater transparency can be introduced in defence planning. These would also facilitate a more meaningful debate on the subject. Needless to say, defence spending has been the subject of much controversy given the country’s limited resources and the fact that a disproportionately large chunk of the budget goes to the armed forces. In fact, it is not just the accounts that need auditing. At stake is the performance of the armed forces, and it is this that also calls for stringent auditing if the cost-benefit ratio is to be determined. Once these issues are addressed in earnest, it should become possible to look into the laws and rules that have been framed to give the armed forces enough leeway to earmark financial privileges for themselves — privileges that have enabled them to build huge business empires. On the pretext of secrecy in the interest of national security and strategy, military rulers have used their clout to shield defence spending from public scrutiny, thus escaping accountability. This should not be allowed to happen any longer.

 

[RabzonKhan]

PAC to take up issue of loans granted to ex-CJP

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday announced that it would take up the issue of granting a loan worth millions of rupees to recently retired chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Abdul Hameed Dogar. PAC Chairman Nisar Ali Khan informed a meeting that the former CJP was granted a loan by a bank in violation of prescribed government rules. “I have got the necessary documentation from the Finance Ministry. He (Dogar) did not qualify for the loan, but the bank granted it to him since he was the chief justice,” he added. Earlier, it was revealed through media reports that Justice (r) Dogar had been granted a loan worth Rs 8.9 million from the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) under the bank’s flagship 'Saibaan' Housing Finance scheme. Khan said the Finance Ministry documents revealed that the former chief justice did not fulfil the bank's criteria to receive a loan, but he had been granted one because he was the chief justice of the Supreme Court at the time. According to the media reports, the Rs 8.9 million loan is repayable in 11 years at a mark up of 9.25 percent, rather than the standard Saibaan rate of 13 percent. “There is absolutely no fear of God. I want to take up this issue. I am very clear that he (Dogar) did not qualify for the loan,” Nisar said, adding the issue would be discussed in the committee's next meeting scheduled for early next month. muhammad bilal

 

[RabzonKhan]

Stink of corruption rising again

Reality check

Friday, July 03, 2009
Shafqat Mahmood

Many charlatans have taken this nation for a ride, but Shaukat Aziz deserves a special place in the swindlers' list. A man with no obvious talent other than sucking up to people, he parlayed it into fame and fortune.

Rauf Klasra's story about him running away with the gifts given to the Prime Minister of Pakistan has come as no surprise. This is typical Shaukat. Staying within the letter of law, he bent and twisted it to satisfy his avaricious greed.

Exchanging presents is customary among national leaders, but it is understood that gifts are not personal to them. This is obvious because had the person not been in that particular position, would he or she receive anything?

Secondly, it is an exchange. The person receiving is also giving. Who pays for the gifts being given? If someone gets a list of presents given by Shaukat as prime minister, I am sure it would be large. Who paid for them?

Obviously, this poor, indebted nation. Our billionaire accidental prime minister, I have little doubt, did not spend even a penny. Yet, when it came to keeping the gifts given not to him but to his office, he had no hesitation.

The law on this matter has also been crafted by the ruling elite to suit its convenience. A gift can be bought by the office holder after paying its market value. And who determines this? A subsidiary of the cabinet division called Tosha Khana.

This mythical Tosha Khana is most obliging particularly to people like the prime minister because it is subordinate to them. As Rauf Klasra has pointed out in his story, it has the guts to value a Piaget or a Rolex watch for a pittance and declare gold ornaments worth nothing.

More esoteric presents such as intricate Omani daggers are easier to get away with because their market value is not obvious. The officeholder gladly pays and then can claim, as tricky Shauky is doing, that he was only following the law. How very convenient.

It could be argued that, with the country in a state of war, why raise these extraneous matters. Actually they are not extraneous, because they concern the behaviour of our rulers at a difficult time for the nation.

This war is more in our consciousness today but it began years ago. When the likes of Shaukat were conniving to possess the gold, the jewellery and the watches that belonged to this nation, our soldiers were fighting and dying in Waziristan and other places. Higher office requires responsible behaviour in all situations, but the burden of leadership is much greater during times of war. The stakes for the country are higher and, more importantly, people are putting their lives on the line for something greater than they are; something called a nation.

It is in these times more than others that the leadership has to show character, forbearance, courage and, above all, decency, honesty and integrity. These are virtues of honour and an inspiration for those who are ready to die for the motherland.

If it is business as usual with one hand of the leader in the till and the other painting subterfuges of deceit, it demoralises and takes the spirit of sacrifice away. This is the burden that Asif Zardari and Yousaf Raza Gillani have on their less-than-ready shoulders. Sad to say, but they are not faring too well. The president personally is not being implicated in any scandal, and that should be a relief to him given the treatment he received from the press during the previous PPP regimes. However, the same cannot be said about the people around him, or about the prime minister and the cabinet.

The prime minister is an astute political player, and in many ways has cornered the president. He has developed a close working relationship with the military and with the main opposition party, the PML-N. He also has a small group within the party loyal to him. This way he has secured his position and it is difficult for Mr Zardari to unseat him.

But while he has played his politics carefully, the same cannot be said about his public image. There are too many stories around questioning his integrity, and that of his close family members. It is possible that some of these stories are planted by his jealous adversaries and are untrue, but for the prime minister of a country in a time of war to have this kind of a reputation is not good. He must debunk them and improve his public image. Some of the cabinet members are also being openly talked about, particularly in those areas where new projects and new investments are required. The amounts reportedly being demanded by a minister responsible to light up our life are astounding.

One minister has been accused in the media of trying to buy a ship way beyond its purported price and another of running a dodgy foreign-exchange company. Some friends of the president, particularly those directly involved in running this or that organisation, are also acquiring a bad reputation.

Among the provincial governments, the ANP is also not faring too well in the public image. Even with regard to its looking after the displaced people, stories have emerged of some officeholders trying to make a fast buck. The foreign donors are reported to be particularly wary. This is sad, because the ANP, with a few exceptions, has had a good reputation in the past.

Stories from Sindh are not good at all. In fact, this was the first province from where tales of corruption started to emerge after the PPP-MQM coalition took over. There is little expectation of good governance in Balochistan considering the prevailing administrative culture in the province. But, to be fair, nothing out of the ordinary has been reported.

So far, Punjab seems to be an exception. Some of the ministers are acquiring a reputation for bad behaviour such as cne Chaudhry Ghafoor, but not of corruption. An adviser to the chief minister was accused of rape and has been removed and an MNA accused of cheating made to resign. This kind of accountability within the party is a good sign, although the hothead Ghafoor was let off with a slap on the wrist.

Governance must have a moral basis, otherwise it degenerates into cynical chicanery. This is true of good times and bad. But when the nation faces the challenge of a war, it must be ruthlessly honest and aboveboard.

Why ruthless? Because just as justice should not only be done but also seen to be done, honesty must also be visible. If a ruler is seen to be above greed, the people are ready to overlook his or her other faults.

Nothing creates more trust between a ruler and the ruled than a perception of integrity. Unfortunately, that is not what we see today. There are just too many questions and the answers, when they come, do not satisfy.

A sense of malaise about the leadership is growing, and that is bad not just for them but for democracy. They are the ones carrying its flag. Their successes and failure will be visited upon it. Is this too heavy a burden for Zardari and Gillani to carry?