Zardari allegedly made millions in sub-marine sale

[HAIDER]

PARIS: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is suspected of having received millions of dollars in kickbacks from the 1994 sale of three French submarines to the Pakistani Navy, a French daily reported.

In addition, investigators believe that the non-payment of the full amount of the agreed kickbacks may have led to the deaths of 11 French nationals in a 2002 terror attack in the city of Karachi.

The report says the Frendh daily acquired documents that allegedly show that Zardari received 4.3 million dollars in kickbacks from the sale of three Agosta 90 submarines for 825 million euros (currently 1.237 billion dollars).

The documents were sent to the Pakistani National Accountability Bureau (NAB) by British authorities in April 2001 and indicate that Zardari received several large payments into his Swiss bank accounts from a Lebanese businessman, Abdulrahman el-Assir, in 1994 and 1995.

According to a former executive of the French naval defence company DCN, French authorities chose el-Assir to act as intermediary in the deal. He allegedly deposited a total of 1.3 million dollars in Zardari’s bank accounts between August 15 and 30, 1994, one month before the submarine contract was signed, and then 1.2 million dollars and 1.8 million dollars one year later.

According to DCN employees who testified in the terror attack investigation, the kickbacks to Pakistan in the deal totalled 10 per cent of the purchase amount, with 6 per cent, or 49.5 million dollars, going to the military and 4 per cent, or 33 million euros, being funneled to political circles.
Zardari allegedly made big money in sub-marine sale

 

[Absar]

He's a corrupted person, no doubt. But then, the question is, how to get rid of such people from our political system??

I don't see him leaving the office voluntarily. He's cruelly cruel and evilly evil. To adjudicate his corruption cases in SC -- as the President of Supreme Court Bar Association(SCBA) Qazi Mohammad Anwar said today -- will be time taking, or perhaps not much possible as I believe. I see a way, another long march just like it happened in the Lawyers Movement during March 2009.

But that isn't a practical solution again. Back in August 2008, people were happy that Musharraf, a cruel dictator, resigned. Consequently, Zardari came as another cruel product of so-called Democracy. Now what's next after Zardari?? Have we every thought of it? Who's the best to lead in the current lot of politicians? Just like it's commonly said about America: faces change but policies remain the same. This also fits on Pakistan too, certainly!!

 

[Developereo]

I am no fan of Zardari but we should let the courts handle it. Newspaper 'reports' are notoriously unreliable, as we all know.

 

[TaimiKhan]

A few days ago while talking to someone at an important place, was told that Zardari Sb has even taken his percentage in the recent JF-17 deal as he wasn't allowing the deal through the loan, once he was given his percentage the deal went through. If that is true, God save us & Pakistan.

 

[TaimiKhan]

A few days ago while talking to someone at an important place, was told that Zardari Sb has even taken his percentage in the recent JF-17 deal as he wasn't allowing the deal through the loan, once he was given his percentage the deal went through. If that is true, God save us & Pakistan.

 

[SSGPA1]

I am no fan of Zardari but we should let the courts handle it. Newspaper 'reports' are notoriously unreliable, as we all know.

I can't agree more. Our media is bias, I am no supporter of Zardari but where are the details of corruption by Nawaz Sahrif and Ch. Nisar?

 

[mjnaushad]

Zardari is a corrupt man thats everyone agrees but how come he get a commission for a deal of 1994. Its all a lie.

 

[aimail]

After NRO another stigma attached with President Asif Ali Zardari is Agosta submarine deal. The allegations against President Zardari are nothing but personal vendetta. The most interesting and stupid thing is that president is being accused of receiving kickbacks in the deal made fifteen years ago. How silly, Zardari was not president at that time and was behind bars. So what the hell courts doing at that time. Why they did not convict Zardari?

Whom media is trying to befool. Fifteen years passed with peace and suddenly anti- Zardari and Anti- Pakistan remembered that Zardari received kickbacks. For God sake pity on this country and Nation. Don’t drive this country to another disaster and stop rumor mills.