More than half of Pakistan bureaucrats own property in Portugal, claims Khawaja Asif
'More than half of the bureaucracy of our dear homeland has already acquired property in Portugal and is preparing to obtain citizenship,' he said in a post on X.
'These are well-known bureaucrats. Yet, after devouring billions of rupees, they are comfortably living a retired life.'
'One of Buzdar's closest bureaucrats has collected four billion rupees just in salami for his daughters' weddings and is now calmly enjoying a retired life.,' he further wrote in the post.
'Politicians, on the other hand, gobble up the leftovers and make a fuss, with neither plots nor foreign citizenship because they have to contest elections. This bureaucracy is polluting the sacred land of Pakistan.'
In response, journalist Shama Junejo wrote, 'Sir, you are the Defense Minister. Your job is to take action, not to tweet. Is there no law in the country to investigate those bureaucrats about where they got billions from on a government salary, with which they have built properties in Portugal and other countries?'
This is not the first time Asif has shed light on the alleged corruption of government officials.
In 2023, he made the news by his claim about a bureaucrat's daughter receiving Rs720 million in 'Salaami' at her wedding - the traditional gifting money to the bride and groom. He added how the father was a grade 21 or 22 officer, but was never questioned about his source of income.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business Recorder
Properties in Portugal: PAC takes notice of Asif's statement regarding bureaucrats
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday took notice of the statement made by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in which, he mentioned Pakistani bureaucrats are buying properties in Portugal. The meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of Junaid Akbar, where important government matters were considered. The committee's chairman said that details would be requested regarding which bureaucrats have acquired plots there. In this regard, the committee has requested a briefing from the Ministry of Interior, the State Bank, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and other relevant institutions in the next meeting. In the meeting, the committee's chairman also raised the issue of implementing sales tax in erstwhile FATA and said that sales tax has now been imposed in FATA, on which, clarification is required. The committee also expressed concern over the possible closure of Utility Stores and decided to take a briefing on the matter at the next meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Express Tribune
Asif takes another swipe at bureaucracy
Days after dropping a bombshell and blowing the whistle on the country's bureaucracy, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday doubled down on his criticism, taking aim at "lavish indulgences" of civil servants and calling for urgent legislative reforms to rein them in. Speaking on a private news channel, the minister cited staggering figures from a report, saying a colossal Rs3.5 trillion was spent annually on bureaucrats. "According to a PIDE [Pakistan Institute of Development Economics] report, Rs860 million is spent over the entire service span of a single bureaucrat," he added. While not accusing the entire civil service, Asif alleged that "25 to 30 per cent" of the bureaucracy was corrupt. "I will personally demand my own government to legislate on bureaucracy," he vowed. He urged that bureaucrats be legally bound to declare their assets annually, arguing that "no other sector has as much corruption as the bureaucracy." Pointing to "glaring disparity" in dual nationality rules, Asif noted, "No politician, judge or army officer in Pakistan can hold dual nationality only bureaucrats can. This privilege must end." He also demanded an end to the "endless allotment of plots" to bureaucrats, saying such perks should not be treated as an entitlement. The minister further said that he had not expected his earlier statement about some bureaucrats buying property in Portugal to cause such an uproar. He revealed that he was now conducting an inquiry and intended to expose those involved.
Express Tribune
7 days ago
- Express Tribune
Asif scoffs at Indian air chief's 'comical' claims
Listen to article Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday dismissed claims by the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief about the destruction of Pakistani fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, calling them "as implausible as they are ill-timed". The scathing rejoinder came hours after Air Chief Marshal AP Singh asserted that the IAF had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one other military aircraft during the military confrontation in May in which, according to Pakistani officials, the IAF lost six warplanes. In a statement posted on microblogging site "X", Defence Minister Asif said it was "ironic" that senior Indian military officers were being made to front "a monumental failure caused by the strategic shortsightedness of Indian politicians". He added that for three months after the operation, no such assertions were made, whereas Pakistan had immediately provided "detailed technical briefings" to the international media - supported by independent observations acknowledging the loss of multiple Indian aircraft, including Rafale jets, as reported by world leaders, senior Indian politicians, and foreign intelligence assessments. The IAF operates 36 Rafale fighters, while India signed a deal with France in April to buy another 26 Rafale aircraft worth $7.4 billion for its navy, which has a fleet mainly comprising Russian MiG-29 jets. Rafale is a twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by France's Dassault Aviation. While India officially denies the destruction of any of its warplanes, French air chief General Jerome Bellanger has said he has seen evidence of the loss of three Indian fighters. Asif reiterated that "not a single Pakistani aircraft was hit," adding that Pakistan had destroyed six Indian jets, S-400 air defence batteries, and unmanned aircraft, while disabling several Indian airbases. He said Indian forces had also suffered "disproportionately heavier" losses along the Line of Control. Challenging India to "open their aircraft inventories to independent verification," the minister warned that such scrutiny would "lay bare the reality India seeks to obscure." He cautioned that "wars are not won by falsehoods but by moral authority, national resolve, and professional competence," adding that politically motivated "comical narratives" heightened the risk of strategic miscalculation in a nuclearised region. Recalling Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, the defence minister said that "every violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity will invite a swift, surefire, and proportionate response," and that any escalation would be the responsibility of "strategically blind leaders" risking South Asia's peace for "fleeting political gains". Asif's statement came hours after the IAF chief claimed that they had downed five PAF fighter jets and one other military aircraft during Operation Sindoor. Most of the Pakistani aircraft, Singh said, were shot down by India's Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system. He further claimed that electronic tracking data confirmed the strikes. "We have at least five fighters confirmed killed, and one large aircraft," he said, adding that the large aircraft — which could be a surveillance plane — was shot down at a distance of 300 km. "This is actually the largest-ever recorded surface-to-air kill," he added. Singh did not mention the type of fighter jets allegedly downed but said that airstrikes also hit another surveillance plane and "a few F-16" fighters that were parked in hangars at two airbases in southeastern Pakistan.
