ISLAMABAD - The report of the Broadsheet Commission has revealed that state’s fund amounting to$1.5million were fraudulently embezzled by some powerful people.
The Commission in its report held five persons responsible including Law expert Ahmar Bilal Sufi, Former High Commissioner to UK Abdul Basit, Hassan Saqib Sheikh, Ghulam Rasool, and Shahid Ali Baig.
The report exposing unsupportive role of bureaucracy points out that bureaucracy and the officers did every possible effort to hide and misplace the records. The report also revealed that record relating Swiss cases of former President Asif Ali Zardari was also available with NAB in 12 diplomatic bags.
According to the report, the Nawaz Sharif government used the Accountability Bureau against political opponents. The report says, “Government in the year 1996 which took office upon the dismissal of the Ms. Benazir Bhutto’s government by the then President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari. Najam Sethi, a well know journalist was a member of the caretaker cabinet and in charge of Accountability. It appears that it was Mr. Sethi who lit the spark which set the prairie ablaze against corruption (some uncharitable people may say that in the decades that followed perhaps Mr. Sethi may have shed some of his idealism in this behalf). Following the general elections, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) PML-N came into power with Mian Nawaz Sharif being elected as the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
It says, “The new Government embraced the notion of proactive accountability especially against their political opponents with s vengeance. The onslaught was orchestrated and led by the erstwhile Chairman Ehtesab Bureau, Saifur Rehman.”
The report says, Ahmar Bilal Sufi gave the impression that a settlement like IAR is also possible with the broadsheet. The payment of 1.5 million dollars to the broadsheet was conditional on providing details of expenses. Ahmar Bilal Sufi contact Broadsheet representatives Jerry James and told NAB that Broadsheet is going to close. He told NAB that settlement will now be done with a new company and Broadsheet has selected a company called Staplechas for the agreement. The then chairman NAB Naveed Ahsan also said that we are ignorant, about the dissolution of Broadsheet Company.
It also says “the settlement agreement with Broadsheet was sent by NAB to the Ministry of Law for review. Instead of Law Secretary, NAB officer Hassan Saqib sent the agreement to the Joint Secretary. The government and the NAB did not know with whom the payment agreement was being made.” Ahmar Bilal Sufi’s draft agreement did not say who the other party was. Joint Secretary Law Ghulam Rasool admitted mistakes in the agreement. Ghulam Rasool admitted that he did not ask NAB for relevant documents for verification. Like a village primary school teacher, he only corrected grammatical errors.
Broadsheet Commission report says, In London, High Commissioner Abdul Basit did not ask Jerry James about his legal status. The signatures on the agreement were different from the signatures on own passport. Ahmar Bilal Sufi had told NAB in which account and bank the payment was to be made. The payment was approved for Broadsheet Azla. The money was given to Broadsheet Colorado. No explanation was given to pay the other company. First installment of payment was given to Gibraltar, which have no one existence. In addition, the recommendations of the Broadsheet Scandal Inquiry Commission said that the basic necessities for the services of international companies should be ensured.
The Commission has recommended that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have verified company with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the concerned country.
Further content of the Broadsheet Commission report states that former Prosecutor General Farooq Adam had hijacked the proper implementation of the agreement. Farooq Adam not only hurt the NAB chairman but also the trust of the state. Adam appeared to be devoid of professional flaws and integrity.
The report says, “Kaveh Mousavi, is a convicted felon, who was sentenced to a term in prison. Nonetheless, he has made certain statements in the media about the several people which might or might not hold water. Under the TORs of this Commission, it cannot inquire into those. However, if the Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, finds it expedient it may investigate such allegations.”
Justice (retired) Azmat Saeed wrote an interesting paragraph in report, “Parts of this report were scribed late evenings at the foot of the Margalla Hills, where I was staying. The discordant symphony of the howling jackals was a constant companion. The howling of the jackals could not distract me from the task at hand.”
On Thursday, Fawad Chaudhry said that Azmat Saeed provided original data on Swiss Bank Accounts and on the basis of this available data, cases against Asif Zardari could be reopened.
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year 1996 which took office upon the dismissal of the Ms. Benazir Bhutto’s government by the then President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari. Najam Sethi, a well know journalist was a member of the caretaker cabinet and in charge of Accountability. It appears that it was Mr. Sethi who lit the spark which set the prairie ablaze against corruption (some uncharitable people may say that in the decades that followed perhaps Mr. Sethi may have shed some of his idealism in this behalf). Following the general elections, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) PML-N came into power with Mian Nawaz Sharif being elected as the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
It says, “The new Government embraced the notion of proactive accountability especially against their political opponents with s vengeance. The onslaught was orchestrated and led by the erstwhile Chairman Ehtesab Bureau, Saifur Rehman.”
The report says, Ahmar Bilal Sufi gave the impression that a settlement like IAR is also possible with the broadsheet. The payment of 1.5 million dollars to the broadsheet was conditional on providing details of expenses. Ahmar Bilal Sufi contact Broadsheet representatives Jerry James and told NAB that Broadsheet is going to close. He told NAB that settlement will now be done with a new company and Broadsheet has selected a company called Staplechas for the agreement. The then chairman NAB Naveed Ahsan also said that we are ignorant, about the dissolution of Broadsheet Company.
It also says “the settlement agreement with Broadsheet was sent by NAB to the Ministry of Law for review. Instead of Law Secretary, NAB officer Hassan Saqib sent the agreement to the Joint Secretary. The government and the NAB did not know with whom the payment agreement was being made.” Ahmar Bilal Sufi’s draft agreement did not say who the other party was. Joint Secretary Law Ghulam Rasool admitted mistakes in the agreement. Ghulam Rasool admitted that he did not ask NAB for relevant documents for verification. Like a village primary school teacher, he only corrected grammatical errors.
Broadsheet Commission report says, In London, High Commissioner Abdul Basit did not ask Jerry James about his legal status. The signatures on the agreement were different from the signatures on own passport. Ahmar Bilal Sufi had told NAB in which account and bank the payment was to be made. The payment was approved for Broadsheet Azla. The money was given to Broadsheet Colorado. No explanation was given to pay the other company. First installment of payment was given to Gibraltar, which have no one existence. In addition, the recommendations of the Broadsheet Scandal Inquiry Commission said that the basic necessities for the services of international companies should be ensured.
The Commission has recommended that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have verified company with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the concerned country. Further content of the Broadsheet Commission report states that former Prosecutor General Farooq Adam had hijacked the proper implementation of the agreement. Farooq Adam not only hurt the NAB chairman but also the trust of the state. Adam appeared to be devoid of professional flaws and integrity.
The report says, “Kaveh Mousavi, is a convicted felon, who was sentenced to a term in prison.