Pakistan defence minister accuses top govt officers of ‘devouring billions, retiring in Portugal'
In a post on X Wednesday, originally written in Urdu, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader alleged that 'more than half of the bureaucracy of our dear homeland has already acquired property in Portugal and is preparing to obtain citizenship'.
New Delhi: Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has sparked a political firestorm by accusing the country's top civil servants of large-scale corruption, and quietly securing foreign citizenship, particularly in Portugal.
He further alleged that a former close aide of former Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar had received Rs 4 billion in salami (cash gifts) at his daughters' weddings, and now enjoys a peaceful retirement.
The minister accused civil servants of siphoning off public wealth, while escaping accountability. In contrast, he painted elected politicians as relatively powerless and exposed. 'Politicians only get what is left over by them,' he said, saying that they cannot own plots abroad or foreign citizenship, as these would disqualify them from running for office.
'This bureaucracy is polluting the sacred land of Pakistan,' he added.
In a follow-up post, Asif also named an individual referred to as 'Virk sahab', whom he accused of playing a central role in helping the officers settle down in Portugal, and obtain European citizenship.
The accusations triggered reactions online, with both supporters and critics weighing in.
Journalist Umar Cheema responded by urging the defence minister to investigate 'who, among the bureaucrats or politicians, built Park View City in Portugal, where people obtain a European passport after investing there'. Park View City is a real estate project by Vision Group, a Pakistan-based real estate firm.
Another journalist, Najam Wali Khan, associated with state-run PTV, questioned the minister's approach—'If a top brass minister like Khawaja Asif is only going to tweet, then who would arrest them—Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman or Yasmin Rashid? Who has stopped you from taking the money trail from these looters?'
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
Also Read: More rhetoric than reality? What are 'massive' Pakistani oil reserves Trump has promised to develop
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