06-08-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
More than half of Pakistan bureaucrats own property in Portugal, claims Khawaja Asif
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that 'more than half the bureaucracy' of Pakistan has acquired property in Portugal, and aiming for citizenship.
'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.
