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| Referance
against Sindh Minister |
| Released
by PML (N) Central Information Secretary Muhammed Siddique-ul-Farooque
At a press conference in Islamabad on February 23, 2005 Subject: Another reference under NAB Ordinance Dera Sir, The National Accountability Bureau has been functioning for the past five-and-a-half years under direct supervision of General Pervez Musharraf and serving Lt. Generals. Prior to this reference, I had submitted references against former Railways Minister Lt. General (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain. An investigation had been instituted against Javed Ashraf Qazi, and the then Director I&I Air Commodore (retired) Nayyar Q. Khwaja had called me three times in his office, where I provided him with evidence of corruption by Javed Ashraf Qazi. I had also submitted a written request to allow me produce attested documentary evidence to expose the corruption of former ISI chief, ex-Railways Minister and current Education Minister Javed Ashraf Qazi. I intended to help NAB with solid and effective evidence in order not only to serve the nation with sending a corrupt person to his logical end, but also to prevent future entry of such persons in the armed forces. Unfortunately, the investigation against Javed Ashraf Qazi remains suspended where it was stopped two years ago despite production of solid evidence. Nayyar Q. Khwaja later quit NAB, perhaps because he felt restrained in working objectively. Lt. Colonel (retired) Saeed used to assist him in the investigation against Javed Ashraf Qazi, whom I met by chance at a valima function, where he told me that NAB possessed more evidence against Javed Ashraf Qazi. When I asked why NAB was not proceeding further, he said, "our hands are tied". I again asked why then he had not resigned, and his answer was that "I have to earn living for my children". He died last May, and I had a chance meeting with you at his funeral. Keeping in mind propriety of the occasion I shook hands with you, and drew attention to the references against Javed Ashraf Qazi and Chaudhry brothers. You said that you were working on them. I did not deem it proper to ask you further. But, unfortunately, you have made no progress in the matter thus confirming the late Colonel Saeed's observation that NAB's hands were tied with regard to the corruption of Javed Ashraf Qazi, the Chaudhry brothers and other wanted pro-government persons. Now fate has provided you another opportunity to prove your commitment to end corruption and maintain your impartiality, and I am forwarding this reference in the same context. Here I deem it my religious and national duty to remind you of the Day of Judgment when even the prophets would care for own self, when no body would be able to defend others, when even General Musharraf would be of no help, and only our deeds would be of any avail. Just imagine when Allah would remind you of the high office of justice entrusted to you, and ask you whether you justified that office. You shall have to come with an answer. No misstatement or excuse will be of any use. If you kept silent, then your limbs and deeds would record their evidence. I too would be accountable for my deeds. I pray that you and I may do well in that test. But the success would be assured only if we remain unafraid of all accept Allah, and fulfill our responsibility with honesty. Mr. Chairman The corrupt practices of Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Revenue Minister and Secretary of provincial ruling PML Imtiaz Sheikh have been made pubic since a week. None other than the Chief Executive of the province has provided the evidence of Rs. 7 billion corruption by Imtiaz Sheikh. He produced documentary as well as individual evidence to support his charges. That actually amounts to FIR against Imtiaz Sheikh. Imtiaz Sheikh, on the other hand, has accused the Chief Minister of being involved in the murder of a journalist, smuggling of women, setting up private jails in Thar and theft of water. Since these charges also have been made by a responsible person, they amount to a FIR against the Chief Minister of Sindh. This exchange of charges highlights the fact that both of them are culprits, and so far have been covering up each other's crimes as long as there was no conflict between their interests. Hence both of them also committed the crime of cover up. Another fact brought to light is that they registered FIRs against each other their interests clashed. Imtiaz Sheikh has been charged of causing a loss of 7 billion rupees. However, informed people in Sindh say that the Chief Minister has pointed out only one to two percent of real corruption by Imtiaz Sheikh, and that in fact he is involved in corruption of trillions. The Sindh Chief Minister is not only accused of water theft, but he is also involved in building private jails, smuggling of poor innocent women and in the murder of a journalist. Again, independent sources talk of a mush longer list of his crimes that are more heinous in nature as well. Law and ethics demand that both the accused be arrested immediately, and interrogated like all other culprits against whom FIRs are registered. However, one of them continues to function as Chief Minister of the second largest, and resource-wise richest, province of Pakistan. He has power to destroy evidence against him. Similarly, Imtiaz Sheikh enjoys the backing of former Prime Minister and president of ruling party, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and the ruling party Secretary General Senator Mushahid Hussain. Since these two gentlemen are also culprits of cover up, they must also be arrested and interrogated. These people have conspired to bypass NAB, and have decided to hand the matter over to Prime Minsiter's Inspection Commission. I believe that unless the culprits are arrested and punished after court trial, it will mean that you are neglecting your duty despite the fact that you have powers to pull corruption cases out of any subordinate court, and proceed under NAB law. Earlier, in August/September 2004, the then Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi registered public FIRs against each other for smuggling manpower out of the country. Your aware of all this but you took no action. Perhaps your hands were tied. I am sending to you the confessional statements of these culprits also. I request you to please do your duty of eliminating corruption without discriminating between the high and the low, the opposition and the government. Please arrest Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Rahim, former Revenue Minister Imtiaz Sheikh, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Faisal Saleh Hayat, and Mushahid Hussain, and forward their cases to the courts. Please prove that your hands are not tied. Once you prove your sincerity in eliminating corruption, you will gain support of all political parties and the 150 million people of Pakistan. But if you feel that your hands are tied, and you cannot provide justice, then you must bring the fact on record and resign forthwith, so that you can keep your head high in the court of the people as well in the divine court on the Day of Judgment. With Regards Muhammed Siddique-ul-Farooque |