NAB asked to probe embassies’ scam

LAHORE, April 15: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry on Friday disposed of a petition challenging sale of Pakistan embassies' land in Japan and Indonesia in 2002 allegedly at throwaway prices and directed the National Accountability Bureau, Punjab, to probe the allegation and file a reference if proved true. Dr Qaiser Rashi filed the petition questioning the sale of costly embassies' land in the said countries allegedly on the directions of then chief executive of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf in 2002. He said Musharraf had shared kickbacks with the then Pakistani ambassadors in the sale deal. The petitioner submitted that the then ambassador to Indonesia, Mustafa Anwar Hussain (a retired major general) misused his authority to sell the building of Pakistan embassy and his residence on Feb 18, 2002 and gained kickbacks in the deal. He said the property was gifted by Indonesian President Soekarno to Pakistan but it was sold at throwaway price. About the case of Japan, Dr Qaiser said the building of Pakistan embassy and residence of the ambassador were sold through the then secretary of embassy of Pakistan in Tokyo, Asghar Ali who is now director of ministry of foreign affairs. The petitioner requested that the federal government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs be directed to cancel the impugned sale deals and get the precious property back and also recover the embezzled money from the ambassadors involved in the scam. Disposing of the petition, the chief justice directed the NAB Punjab director general to complete the probe within two months. RELEASE ORDER: Additional District and Sessions Judge Pervaiz Ali Shah on Friday ordered release of 76 prisoners involved in petty crimes. The judge passed this order during his visit to the camp jail. He also visited various barracks and inspected the record of prisoners in the office of the jail superintendent.