Tag: corruption

  • Senators propose discontinuation of Rs5,000 currency note to fight corruption

    Senators propose discontinuation of Rs5,000 currency note to fight corruption

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senators are advocating for the discontinuation of the Rs5,000 currency note as a strategic move to combat corruption and inflation.

    On Monday, Senator Mohsin Aziz presented a resolution in the Upper House of Parliament urging the prohibition of the highest-denomination currency.

    According to Senator Aziz, the Rs5,000 note is frequently associated with corruption, terrorism, and smuggling.

    Providing details, Senator Aziz revealed that Rs5,000 currency notes totaling Rs3.5 trillion have been issued to date.

    Notably, he emphasised that Rs2 trillion worth of Rs5,000 notes are not currently in circulation but are securely stored in “safe deposit,” which he alleges is linked to money laundering, tax evasion, and smuggling.

    Senator Aziz called for a specific timeframe during which individuals should surrender the highest denomination notes.

    Supporting this initiative, another PTI Senator, Waleed Iqbal, echoed Senator Aziz’s call to discontinue the Rs5,000 currency note.
    He suggested that promoting digital payments would be instrumental in reducing reliance on physical currency.

    Responding to these claims, Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi stated that Rs5,000 currency notes totaling 905 million have been issued thus far, with Rs4.5 trillion currently in circulation.

    Solangi attributed the autonomy granted to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) by the previous government as a contributing factor to the situation. He asserted that the SBP operates within the confines of its laws.

    This isn’t the first time that officials have targeted the highest denomination note for its alleged role in fostering corruption.

    In September of this year, former Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chief Shabbar Zaidi emphasised the importance of discontinuing Rs5,000 notes and imposing restrictions on the physical movement of dollars as crucial steps in curbing the cash economy in the country.

  • Contracts khatam, naukri jaari; 66 KP officials working despite end of tenure

    Contracts khatam, naukri jaari; 66 KP officials working despite end of tenure

    A total of 66 officers of higher rank in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Authority are still serving and being promoted even though their contracts have ended this October, media reports have confirmed.

    These posts include Regional Culture and Tourism Officer, Manager, Additional Directors and Superintendents. As suggested by official documents, the officers of Tourism Corporation were hired for a period of three years in the Tourism Authority although many of them do not have the required educational qualification for the post of Grade 18 and 19.

    Appallingly, 4 of the office bearers are being given charge of three posts each. Moreover, a person serving as a computer operator in Tourism Corporation has been promoted as a Superintendent only in a matter of three years in the Tourism Authority. The superintendent is also given charge of the offices of Assistant Director HR and Admin.

    The degrees of more than 15 officers are still unverified.

    In response to this forgery, DG KPK Culture and Tourism Authority Barkatullah has called for an urgent meeting to sort out the matter of contract and unverified documents of these officers. Even the Secretary Tourism Department has taken notice of this. However, he mentioned that the merger of permanent officers in the Authority is done via the Tourism Act.

  • Supreme Court orders restoration of corruption cases against politicians

    Supreme Court orders restoration of corruption cases against politicians

    The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday struck down recent amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government. A three-member SC bench headed by outgoing Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, conducted 53 hearings on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s petition against the changes made to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance under the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act 2022.

    Today’s 2-1 majority verdict has resulted in the restoration of corruption cases against public office holders, which were closed down following the NAB amendments. The ruling specifically reinstated the NAB clause pertaining to the Service of Pakistan.

    In June 2022, former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan approached the top court to challenge the amendments to the NAB laws, contending that they will “virtually eliminate any white-collar crime committed by a public office holder”.

    On September 5, the SC reserved its verdict in the case. “My retirement is near, [we] will give a decision before retirement. We will soon announce a short and sweet verdict of the case,” said CJ Bandial.

    According to today’s SC verdict, the petition by PTI Chairman against NAB amendments was declared admissible by the majority decision, restoring all closed inquiries filed with the anti-corruption body. The top court has ordered restoring all graft cases worth less than Rs500 million that were closed down after the amendments.

    According to The Express Tribune, former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif was a major beneficiary of the amendments. Other beneficiaries include former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former President Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maryam Nawaz, Faryal Talpur, Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Rana Sanaullah, Javed Lateef, Makhdoom Khosro Bakhtiar, Amir Mehmood Kayani, Akram Durani , Saleem Mandiwala, Noor Alam Khan, Nawab Aslam Riasani, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, Barjees Tahir, Nawab Ali Wasan, Sharjeel Memon, Anwarul Haq Kakar, Liaqat Jatoi, Amir Maqam, Goram Bugti, Jaffer Mandokhel and G-B Governor Syed Mehdi Shah.

  • Venkatesh Prasad deletes viral tweet about Jay Shah, abuses Muslim journalist for sharing screenshot

    Former Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad on Saturday tweeted what many social media users believe was a cryptic tweet targeting Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Jay Shah, who is also secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

    “It takes one corrupt, arrogant guy to take away the hard work of an organisation that is generally non-corrupt and get a stamp of corruption on the whole leadership, not just on a micro level but at a large level.”

    Prasad’s tweet made many X (former Twitter) users speculate if the former cricketer had targeted BCCI and Jay Shah, son of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah. However, Prasad soon deleted his tweet.

    Indian journalist and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair posted a screenshot of the tweet deleted by Prasad.

    AltNews co-founder Zubair was not the only one who posted a screenshot of Prasad’s deleted tweet. Many news outlets did a story on it as well. However, Prasad chose to target and abuse Zubair in a racist and bigoted tweet.

    Prasad quote-tweeted Zubair and wrote: “Haha.. Says a serial hate- monger, who has put so many lives in danger for his agenda. You disguising as a fact-checker is like Terrorists talking about peace. Now post that you need money to survive and ask for donation for your website, no shame in living off by fooling people.”

    In response, Zubair said that he hopes Prasad will be forgiven for his tweet on BCCI by his “political masters for compensating by abusing and comparing” him to “terrorists”.

    One user pointed out that Venkatesh Prasad’s manager is Amritanshu Gupta, a known right-wing BJP supporter, which is why Prasad’s language is of right-wing trolls.

    Many X users called out the former Indian cricketer for his bigoted and hateful tweet against a Muslim journalist in India.

    Prasad posted a new version of his deleted tweet a day later.

  • Business community finds hope as COAS Munir vows to tackle corruption and boost investment 

    Business community finds hope as COAS Munir vows to tackle corruption and boost investment 

     
    In response to the pressing economic crisis facing the country, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir has pledged unwavering efforts to attract foreign investment and rejuvenate the economy, as reported by The News on Tuesday. General Munir made these assurances during a recent extensive meeting with members of the business community, where he engaged openly and candidly with them. 

    During an appearance on Geo News‘ “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath” programme on Monday, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, expressed optimism following their meeting with the army chief. He revealed that General Munir had conveyed discussions of a potential $25 billion investment from Saudi Arabia, encompassing sectors such as IT, minerals, agriculture, and defence. 

    Highlighting a pivotal development, General Munir disclosed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman had committed to depositing $10 billion of this investment in the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), to be reimbursed in Pakistani rupees or goods, thereby bolstering foreign exchange reserves. 

    General Munir also acknowledged the bureaucratic obstacles hindering investment and emphasised the establishment of a Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to streamline processes and eliminate bureaucratic impediments. He assured that this initiative would protect investors from interference, bureaucratic hurdles, or legal complications. 

    Irfan Iqbal Sheikh further mentioned that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had both pledged $25 billion in investments, with Qatar and Kuwait following suit with similar commitments. 

    General Munir expressed determination to combat corruption, particularly by curbing land-grabbing and extortion mafias. To this end, he announced the formation of four task forces to address issues related to the Federal Board of Revenue of Pakistan (FBR), border control, smuggling, and social media, aiming to improve the overall situation. 

    Sheikh stressed that the business community had grown disillusioned but found renewed courage and hope through the army chief’s commitments. 

    Meanwhile, Business Group Chairman Zubair Motiwala noted the distinct approach of General Munir in engaging with traders compared to his predecessors. He highlighted the COAS’s efforts to revive the economy through engagements in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and upcoming visits to Qatar and Kuwait. 

    Motiwala reported that General Munir had instructed the corps commander to prevent the influx of Iranian diesel into Karachi and issued directives to address land encroachments, corruption, and law enforcement issues. 

    General Munir also emphasised that only registered Afghan refugees would be allowed to stay in Pakistan, while the rest would need to return to their home country. He conveyed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman’s concerns regarding corruption and bureaucracy in Pakistan. 

    Motiwala further disclosed discussions about the charter of the economy with General Munir, expressing hope that such substantial investments would significantly improve the economic conditions in the country. 

    He also pointed out that state-owned enterprises were incurring significant losses, amounting to Rs1,300 billion, and stressed the need for action, noting that political governments might not fully embrace privatisation but would seek to relieve this burden. General Munir expressed his understanding of the government’s approach to this issue and its commitment to addressing it comprehensively. 

  • Major corruption exposed: Helicopter parts worth Rs7 billion illegally cleared under investigation

    Major corruption exposed: Helicopter parts worth Rs7 billion illegally cleared under investigation

    In a significant corruption case, helicopter spare parts worth Rs7 billion were illegally cleared from the air freight units (AFUs) through a nexus involving Customs officials and clearing agents.

    The Customs Collector Islamabad has responded to the exposure of the nexus by forming a new two-member committee to investigate the illegal clearance of the helicopter spare parts. The committee includes an additional collector headquarters and a deputy controller preventive, who will initiate a thorough investigation into the matter.

    Prior to this, a previous probe committee had already exonerated the Customs officials, including a superintendent who had admitted to being on duty at the Royal Shade during the time of the alleged illegal clearance. However, with the emergence of new evidence, a fresh inquiry has become necessary to ensure transparency and accountability.

    Separately, a Customs officer named Imran was suspended after a video of him demanding a bribe from a passenger at the Lahore airport went viral. In the video, the officer can be seen soliciting $100 from a Canada-bound passenger who was carrying $9,500, and he threatened to seize all the money if the passenger did not comply. According to Customs law, passengers are not allowed to carry $9,500 in currency abroad to prevent illicit transactions and money laundering.

    Following the circulation of the video, the deputy collector customs took swift action by suspending the officer and directing him to report to headquarters, demonstrating the commitment to address misconduct and uphold integrity within the Customs department.

    The exposure of the helicopter spare parts corruption case and the subsequent investigation by the newly-formed committee signify a strong stance against corruption and malpractices within the Customs department. As the inquiry progresses, it is expected that appropriate measures will be taken to hold those involved in the illegal clearance of the helicopter spare parts accountable.

    The disciplinary actions taken against the Customs officer involved in bribery further emphasise the department’s dedication to ethical conduct in its operations.

  • Board awards student of Nawabshah College, Principal says he wasn’t enrolled there

    The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) had awarded a student, Saif Ahmed from Government College Nawabshah, for receiving first place in the Intermediate Pre-engineering Examinations. However, the college’s principal has revealed that the student is not even enrolled in their school.

    According to The News, the board had notified the school that Ahmed received a total of 1200 marks, and had gifted him a gallantry sheild. But the principal confirmed to the newspaper that no boy with this name is in the college’s record of attendance, nor had he appeared in the examinations.

    It was also revealed that Saif’s father, Altaf Pirzada, was an influential man who was the head of security at Bilawal House.

    A college staff member also revealed to the newspaper that despite there being no mention of Saif’s name in the college enrollment or exams, the administration was being threatened by powerful members to cover up the fraud.

    The issue came to light when during a ceremony held at Darbar Hall of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, where the Comissioner Aleem Lashari, Deputy Commissioner Shaharyar Gul Memon and BISE Chairman Dr Farooq Matti were present as special guests on the occasion. When Saif’s name was announced, the principal of the college came to collect the shield and revealed that the aforementioned student was not a member of his school.

  • Faisal Vawda admits that Imran did remove Asim Munir as DG ISI in 2019 for exposing Bushra Bibi’s corruption

    Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prominent leader Faisal Vawda has claimed that Imran Khan as Prime Minister (PM) removed incumbent army chief Asim Munir in 2019 from the post of Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) when he told Imran about Bushra Bibi’s corruption.

    In Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, he said that he warned Asim Munir not to do so, but the General took the evidence of corruption to Imran Khan.

    When he was asked to stop by Vawda, Gen Munir responded by asking, “Do you want me to be dishonest to my country?”

    He then said that when Gen Munir presented evidence against Bushra Bibi and her friend Farah Gogi, Khan flew into a rage, accusing him of trying to “meddle in the affairs of his family”.

    “On the same day around 11pm, Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid took charge as DG ISI. This shows how much of a hurry Imran Khan was in,” Vawda said.

    During the show, Vawda also revealed that during his prime ministership, Khan approached Gen Munir once to ask him to “manage the Senate”.

    However, he said, Gen Munir rejected the task saying that the army can not interfere.

    Prior to this, Imran categorically termed “completely false” the rumours regarding him removing Gen Munir from the post of DG ISI in 2019 because the then-spymaster wanted to investigate corruption cases involving Bushra Bibi.

  • FBR officers request leave until June to protest against low salary amid soaring inflation

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is in the midst of a predicament as its officers have apparently requested leave until June in order to protest against the rising inflation that is affecting their ability to make ends meet.

    In a letter addressed to the FBR Chairman Asim Ahmed, 117 Income Tax officers ranging from grades 17 to 19 have expressed their discontent with a meagre pay scale.

    “Due to low pay, we are unable to meet the expenses of coming to the office in this era of skyrocketing inflation,” the letter stated.

    This issue is extremely worrisome as the absence of these officers during the crucial budgeting process could have grave consequences for the country’s economy since the FBR is accountable for collecting taxes and revenue for the government.

    According to ARY News, the FBR Chairman has promised to raise the matter of the officers’ salary scale with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Additionally, he mentioned that the tax officers’ performance allowance has been withheld since 2015.

    It’s worth noting that an FBR officer made a peculiar request in a separate incident. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the officer requested permission to engage in corrupt activities in order to cover domestic expenses in the face of soaring inflation.

  • Rawalpindi, Islamabad residents forced to buy low-quality flour at exorbitant prices

    Rawalpindi, Islamabad residents forced to buy low-quality flour at exorbitant prices

    Residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are paying exorbitant prices for low-quality flour due to the poor performance of the District Food Department. The officials in charge have failed to take concrete steps to prevent smuggling and hoarding of flour, despite lip service and paperwork.

    As a result, locals are forced to pay more for flour than in any other city in the country. Dealers have hoarded ‘Atta’ and are selling a 15-kilogram bag for Rs2,300 to Rs2,650, while ‘Chakki’ owners are selling 1-kilogram ‘atta’ for Rs180 to Rs200. The price of a 20-kilogram ‘atta’ bag has reached Rs3,200 to Rs3,500 in retail shops.

    The Utility Store Corporation (USC) has resumed providing subsidized flour, but the quality is poor. The District Food Department and flour mill owners are working together to supply unhygienic flour at high prices. The department is not taking action to stop smuggling or control profiteers and hoarders, playing on both sides of the wicket.

    According to The News, District Food Controller (DFC) Hasan Nazir has admitted to a flour shortage in Rawalpindi and has written to the Secretary of Food (Punjab) to issue special permits for wheat supply. He assures the public that the ‘atta’ crisis will be resolved within weeks, and they are working to stop wheat smuggling, with over 600 wheat-filled vehicles stopped en route to Afghanistan.

    However, corrupt officials within the District Food Department are involved in wheat smuggling to Afghanistan via Torkham, and only ten vehicles are being stopped to show performance in the media while the officers let 90 vehicles go. The corrupt officials have several pending cases against them in the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Rawalpindi, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

    Despite Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif claiming a bumper wheat crop this year, residents are struggling to afford basic necessities due to the inflated price of flour. The Punjab government has set the price of 40-kilogram wheat at Rs3,900, but owners are violating this order and selling it for Rs5,400 to Rs6,000 in Rawalpindi. The situation is dire, with many struggling to afford basic necessities due to the inflated price of flour.