Zulfi Bukhari resigns as SAPM over allegations in Ring Road scandal

[MenInG]

LAHORE: The PML-N has demanded removal of federal cabinet members Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Zulfi Bokhari for their alleged corruption in over Rs2 billion Rawalpindi Ring Road project scam.

“The PTI government instead of making some bureaucrats scapegoat should take action against close aide to the prime minister Zulfi Bokhari and federal minister Ghulam Sarwar for being direct beneficiaries of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project scam,” PML-N Deputy Secretary General Attaullah Tarar told a press conference here on Wednesday.

He said both Zulfi and Sarwar had got huge financial benefits in this project as their lands fell in the project area. He said PM Khan was known for benefiting his ATMs through different means.

Tarar said with a mala fide intention this project’s length was increased from 40 kilometres to 66 kilometres and approval was given by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to benefit the close associates of Imran Khan.

“It’s a daylight robbery on the national kitty. We demand formation of a judicial commission comprising apex court judges to investigate this Rs2.3bn land scam and meanwhile both Zulfi and Sarwar should be removed from their posts,” the PML-N leader demanded.

He said if this scam was probed, culprits’ footprints would be found in Bani Gala.

He said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should take notice of it but perhaps it did not see beyond the Sharif family.

PML-N Punjab Information Secretary Azma Bokhari said after Jahangir Tareen, the PTI government would give NRO to Zulfi and Sarwar in this scam.

Shehbaz: PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif has said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government’s frequent policy shifts have a considerable cost for Pakistan.

“The PTI govt has established a pattern of saying one thing and then taking it back the next day. This casual & indifferent approach covers all aspects of governance, including country’s foreign relations.. & this never-ending policy flip-flop has come at a considerable cost to Pakistan,” Shehbaz said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, PML-N information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said the PTI regime had brought the country that was thriving because of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to a point where it was run on soup kitchens and that was why Saudi Arabia also gave Imran Khan charity goods and rice bags.

In a statement, Marriyum said no body would invest in a country that was not investing in itself, alleging that all avenues of development had been choked by the Imran government.

She said PML-N quaid Nawaz Sharif had brought the CPEC for Pakistan, while the “incompetent” Imran brought embarrassment, charity and bags of rice for the country.

“Will this charity and rice bags could pay off the Rs14,000 billion debt, which Imran has buried the country under,” she asked.

Ms Aurangzeb said during the era of Nawaz and Shehbaz the loan amount was spent on the mass transport system, CPEC, innumerable development projects, plummeting inflation, while the employment opportunities increased. “But today, even after taking record loans, the Imran government is running on charity given by Saudi Arabia.”

She said the PML-N took Rs10,000 billion loans in five years and achieved 5.8 per cent GDP, besides bringing down inflation rate to three percent, while Imran’s took Rs11,000bn in loans during its three-year tenure so far and gifted the country unprecedented price hike and unemployment.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2021

https://www.dawn.com/news/1623613/r...or-removal-of-zulfi-bokhari-and-ghulam-sarwar

 

[Major]

Doubt Imran would do anything against his friend Zulfi, just proves all the big claims and campaigns done by Imran meant nothing

too much talk in the campaigns, when the time came for action, couldn't do annything.

Wonder which MAFIA will he blame for the Rawalpindi Ring road

 

[Bewal Express]

I stopped reading when it said the PML called for. These crooks with most of the family on the run calling for anything is a joke.

 

[Bewal Express]

Doubt Imran would do anything against his friend Zulfi, just proves all the big claims and campaigns done by Imran meant nothing

too much talk in the campaigns, when the time came for action, couldn't do annything.

Wonder which MAFIA will he blame for the Rawalpindi Ring road

You will know he is crooked when the Nooras and PPP call for him to join them. Remember how these 2 mafia families suddenly remembered the JT was innocent and we had the bizarre situation that Rana the Qatil was telling us that JT was being persecuted and was totally innocent and the PPP were asking him to join and one of their senior leaders told us he had joined. So just hold judgement and wait.

 

[King-Misbah]

In this scam, PMLN ministers are involved too and other stakeholders. Imran Khan and PTI condemn corruption; let see if the patwaris think the same. Patwaris think that corruption is okay so they really shouldn't be complaining tbh.

 

[IMMY69]

I've come to the conclusion that Pakistan is a lost cause.
The majority of the people are corrupt to the core and no one has the patience to see a change in the institutions.

I predict IK will be gone at the next election and the mafia families will be back to rule.
The rich will be happy as they will make more money and in their warped minds they will feel justified by giving charity to the poor.

The poor will get charity from the rich and bribes from the mafia and so it will continue.

RIP

 

[saeedhk]

I've come to the conclusion that Pakistan is a lost cause.
The majority of the people are corrupt to the core and no one has the patience to see a change in the institutions.

I predict IK will be gone at the next election and the mafia families will be back to rule.
The rich will be happy as they will make more money and in their warped minds they will feel justified by giving charity to the poor.

The poor will get charity from the rich and bribes from the mafia and so it will continue.

RIP

I came to that conclusion around 2 years back. The status quo in Pakistan will continue forever. This country is beyond recovery.

 

[MenInG]

I cannot believe that this is just ONE such contract which has problems! Must be so many more.

 

[srh]

I cannot believe that this is just ONE such contract which has problems! Must be so many more.

Very disappointed in Imran Khan. He won the elections on the platform that he will stop corruption. But his own party members are involved in corruption

 

[King-Misbah]

Very disappointed in Imran Khan. He won the elections on the platform that he will stop corruption. But his own party members are involved in corruption

As accord to Imran Riaz Khan, Imran Khan caught this corruption and is taking necessary steps. Just like he sidelined JKT.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday ordered a full-fledged inquiry into the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project scam after which the Punjab government decided to send the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) or the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for thorough investigation.

The decisions were taken as two fact-finding reports — one by the Rawalpindi commissioner and the other by the deputy commissioner — landed at the prime minister office, with the second report hinting that the project had been realigned with the approval of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and his finance adviser Dr Salman Shah.

However, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) demanded action against the relevant authorities for approving ring road’s realignment, asserting that neither CM Buzdar and PM Khan nor ‘direct beneficiaries’ such as cabinet members Ghulam Sarwar Khan and PM’s aide Zulfi Bokhari could be exempted.

The fact-finding process has raised several questions such as why the commissioner alone signed the report when two other members of the commission — Rawalpindi DC retired captain Anwarul Haq and an additional commissioner of Rawalpindi — had refused to sign it and prepared a separate fact-finding report.

The commissioner’s report named some private housing societies, which were far from the original ring road plan but benefitted through the realignment. It alleged that ex-commissioner Capt (retired) Mehmood and suspended Land Acquisition Commissioner Waseem Tabish wrongly paid Rs2.3 billion in compensation of land acquired for the road and benefitted a renowned family of Sangjani while acquiring its land. However, it emerged that the owners were reluctant to give their land for the project as the ex-commissioner had offered a rate far less than the market price of land.

It also came into notice that initially NESPAK had made alignment of the road from T-Chowk Rewat to Murat in 2017, but next year another consultant, Zeerak, proposed realignment of the road from T-Chowk to Islamabad-Lahore Motorway (M-I), which was again endorsed by NESPAK in 2021 with the observation that the current alignment is: “The best alignment in accordance with the technical standard was proposed which reduces multiple curves ensuring design speed of 120kph with control access.”

However, questions were being raised as to how only two officials could commit any wrongdoings in the project when all the approvals and consents had been given by relevant authorities.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said Prime Minister Imran Khan had once again proved that no one could commit corruption in his government. He said the premier had set a great example by ordering inquiry into the ring road project.

While criticising the opposition, Mr Habib said that during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz era, the scandal of 36 companies emerged while billions of rupees were spent on Raiwind Road, Jati Umrah Palace and camp offices but neither any inquiry had been held nor any action taken against any minister. Instead, he added, the documents of such projects were destroyed in fire incidents, recalling the LDA plaza blaze that destroyed Metro bus record.

He said the fact-finding committee prepared a report after making an inquiry into the allegations and the matter related to Rs2.5bn worth land acquisition was sent to the NAB whereas bureaucrats found responsible had been removed from their positions. The officers concerned would be dealt at departmental level and NAB would investigate the matter, he explained.

However, the PML-N demanded resignations of Prime Minister Khan and Chief Minister Buzdar in the light of fact-finding commission’s report on the Rawalpindi ring road scam.

“Imran Khan and Usman Buzdar should resign immediately and their names be placed on Exit Control List after the revelations of the Ring Road scandal fact-finding commission,” PML-N information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a statement here on Saturday.

She said Mr Buzdar and Mr Khan would not get any relief in this matter, because what the report exposed was not some minor irregularities but a ‘dacoity of over Rs25 billion’. She said the real culprits were Mr Buzdar and Mr Khan, as all this could not be done without them being in the picture.

She was of the opinion that as long as they were in power, an independent inquiry was impossible and reports nothing more than eyewash would be generated to exonerate the real culprits of the charges.

The former minister said PM Khan victimised opposition leaders with fake cases but the PTI government could not prove corruption of a single penny against the PML-N leadership despite three years of rigorous scrutiny. She said there were ‘countless’ number of ‘proven graft cases’ against the [PTI] government such as kickbacks, theft of wheat flour, sugar, medicines and fuel crisis.

Beneficiaries

“Close aide to the prime minister Zulfi Bokhari and federal minister Ghulam Sarwar are direct beneficiaries of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project scam,” PML-N deputy secretary general Attaullah Tarar earlier told a press conference.

Mr Tarar said both Mr Bokhari and Mr Sarwar had got huge financial benefits through the ring road project, because their lands were near the project. He said Mr Khan was known for benefiting his “ATMs” (financiers) through different means.

PML-N information secretary Azma Bokhari on Saturday rejected the fact-finding report as mere eyewash, saying that it attempted to save the ‘real culprits’. She said a case should be registered against Mr Buzdar for approval of the road in the areas near the land of cabinet members Zulfi Bokhari and Ghulam Sarwar.


Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2021

 

[OMB]

PM Imran main culprit behind Ring Road project corruption: Marriyum Aurangzeb

Claims irregularities committed on directives of premier, Punjab CM; calls for both their arrests


LAHORE:
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb termed Prime Minister Imran Khan the "main culprit" behind the alleged corruption in the Ring Road project on Sunday.

"There is no need for further inquiry, the evidence is in front of the people," the spokesperson said in a statement released today.

"[Prime Minister] Imran Khan and [Punjab Chief Minister] Usman Buzdar should be arrested as it all happened under their directives," she added.

According to the party spokesperson, the premier "replicated the same wicked method he carried out in the sugar, flour subsidy scandal".

Marriyum noted that it had become a practice to "commit an irregularity, pay commission and then scapegoat officials."

Read Ring roads, bureaucrats and investment

She deemed it ironic that "Imran Khan himself approved the changes in the Ring Road project on February 4, 2021 and then ordered an inquiry into the same."

"Why is [PM] Imran Khan inquiring his own orders; who did he favour by issuing the directives and by ceasing the project," she asked.

The PML-N spokesperson asked the bureaucrats and other officials to not adhere to the directives.

"Your wickedness and lies have been exposed by your own directives and official document released on January 28," she said while referring to the premier.

The PML-N spokesperson added that, "Imran Khan approved Attock Morr and Paswal Morr and then retreated from his decision." "Who is he fooling," she asked.

"The nation witnessed the same irregularity in the commission earned form the export of sugar, wheat and LNG," she maintained.

Referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's narrative of bringing the powerful to justice, Marriyum demanded the arrest of the premier and Punjab CM Usman Buzdar. "Handcuff the premier and Usman Buzdar now!" she stated.

It was reported earlier that the probe into the alleged corruption in the Rawalpindi Ring Road project came under a cloud as two out of three members of the fact-finding committee denied the corruption allegations levelled against sacked Rawalpindi commissioner Muhammad Mehmood.

Sources said that the former commissioner was made a scapegoat in the fight for ascendancy between much bigger players who prefer to operate from behind the scenes. The same quarters said the former official was removed without being heard. It is also learnt that the fact-finding committee also pronounced its decision without giving the former commissioner a chance to be heard.

The fact-finding panel had termed the land acquisition process illegal and accused the ex-commissioner of purchasing land worth Rs 2.3 billion unnecessarily as well as benefitting eight private housing societies owned by influential people.

Both members who opposed the allegations wrote that there was no illegal activity at any stage of the project.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2300049/pm-imran-main-culprit-behind-ring-road-project-corruption-marriyum-aurangzeb

 

[IMMY69]

I cannot believe that this is just ONE such contract which has problems! Must be so many more.

Alas this is not one mans fault but the fault of the people as a whole.

So many projects have been laid and the macro side of things has actually now turned a corner. This will not be mentioned in the news which is owned by the mafia.

The micro side is controlled by the mafia, things like the price of basic goods (sugar, flour etc).. they determine how much pain the people feel through shortages and higher prices.

This is why I have lost hope. If in two years IK fails to hit the Mafia then he will be gone as will all hope for st least another 5 decades.

 

[Bewal Express]

We need a full and thorough investigation by Wajid Zia at the FIA. If people are guilty we need prosecutions and jailing's. We have robbed blind by the mafia familes, and the last thing we need is for PTI members to start defrauding the poor of PK.

 

[SangasCoverDrive]

Personally I don’t think I’ve seen anyone as clueless as Zulfi Bukhari. It’s amazing that he still got this artificial job

 

[Firebat]

No connection to land involved in Rawalpindi Ring Road project, says aviation minister

Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Monday categorically denied that he or his family had any links with the housing societies from which the government acquired land for the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project.

He made the comments during a press conference in Islamabad in which he said he and his family would "leave politics for life if it is proved that even one marla from the starting point to end point [of the RRR] belongs to me, my brother, my son, or any member of my family".

Khan said he would issue a defamation notice to the person who had levelled allegations against him and challenged him to prove that land acquired for the project was ever taken, sold or kept by the minister.

"A lot of politicians and bureaucrats have linkages with [housing] societies. People from the journalist community have linkages too. I do not have any linkage. My family has no linkage with any society or any monetary benefit [from a society]."

Khan's comments came days after Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered an inquiry into the RRR project scam after which the Punjab government decided to send the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) or the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for thorough investigation.

The decisions were taken after two fact-finding reports — one by the Rawalpindi commissioner and the other by the deputy commissioner — landed in the prime minister's office, with the second report hinting that the project had been realigned with the approval of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and his finance adviser Dr Salman Shah.

However, the opposition PML-N demanded action against the relevant authorities for approving the ring road's realignment, asserting that neither CM Buzdar and PM Khan nor "direct beneficiaries" such as cabinet members Khan and PM's aide Zulfi Bokhari must be exempted.

PML-N deputy secretary general Attaullah Tarar had alleged both Bokhari and Khan had got huge financial benefits through the ring road project because their lands were near the project.

In his press conference today, Khan said that he would issue a defamation notice to the person who had "used such language against me and my family". He added that he was ready to face all allegations if the person approached the courts with documentary evidence though it was unclear whether he was referring to PML-N's Tarar or journalist Imran Khan who the minister claimed had "made the [RRR project's] alignment a scandal and made an effort to link him with it".

"We have no connection to [change in the project's] alignment. We have no financial stake in any society. The alignment has not been changed on our whim," he emphasised.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1624160/n...indi-ring-road-project-says-aviation-minister

 

[Bewal Express]

ZB has stepped down to allow a full unbiased enquiry. If he is guilty then send him down but if he is innocent, who will compensate him for the damage to his reputation. You get these Noora idiots and their loser friends propagating that there is something fishy about him not having the courage to make a complaint to the British Police shows how pathetic these losers have become . Put up or shut up.

 

[MenInG]

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari on Monday resigned from his position owing to allegations levelled against him in the ongoing inquiry of the Ring Road project scam.

"My Prime Minister has always said that if a person has been named rightly or wrongly in any inquiry he should cease to hold any public office till his name has been cleared of charges," he wrote on his official Twitter handle.

PM's aide said that owing to the allegations in the ongoing inquiry, he wanted to set an example. "By resigning from office until my name is cleared up of any allegations and media’s obnoxious lies," he said in another tweet.

Express Tribune

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1/3<br>My Prime Minister has always said that if a person has been named rightly or wrongly in any inquiry he should cease to hold any public office till his name has been cleared of charges . <br>Owing to the allegations in ongoing Ring Road inquiry I want to set this example..</p>— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) <a href="https://twitter.com/sayedzbukhari/status/1394307371934097408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2/3<br>by resigning from office until my name is cleared up of any allegations and media’s obnoxious lies.<br><br>I reiterate that I have nothing to do with Ring Road or any ongoing Real Estate project.This time the inquiry should be done by capable personnel,I endorse a judicial inquiry.</p>— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) <a href="https://twitter.com/sayedzbukhari/status/1394307374123474947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">3/3<br>I’m here to stay in Pakistan and stand united with the Prime Minister and his vision. I sacrificed my life overseas to come and serve my country, I am ready to face any inquiry.</p>— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) <a href="https://twitter.com/sayedzbukhari/status/1394307376384299012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

I have deleted posts which are casting aspersions on Bukhari family as a whole and on PM Imran Khan without any proof or sources.

For those intent on posting such stuff - you are reminded that verifiable sources need to be linked before making accusations:

 

[Major]

I have deleted posts which are casting aspersions on Bukhari family as a whole and on PM Imran Khan without any proof or sources.

For those intent on posting such stuff - you are reminded that verifiable sources need to be linked before making accusations:

I think zulfi's own cousin admitted this on twitter, that his uncle and his own father were involved in this

The article also mentions the case no. aswell against zulfi father

http://truthtracker.com.pk/2018/12/...ans-friend-and-discriminatory-accountability/

 

[King-Misbah]

The difference between PTI and the corrupt tola, well done Imran Khan!

 

[Bewal Express]

I think zulfi's own cousin admitted this on twitter, that his uncle and his own father were involved in this

The article also mentions the case no. aswell against zulfi father

http://truthtracker.com.pk/2018/12/...ans-friend-and-discriminatory-accountability/

So why hasn't anyone reported these to PK or British authorities. Surely, if this evidence is out there, then cases could be opened. IK became PM 2018, who was in power before him and why didn't they do anything.

 

[El Generico]

Doubt Imran would do anything against his friend Zulfi, just proves all the big claims and campaigns done by Imran meant nothing

too much talk in the campaigns, when the time came for action, couldn't do annything.

Wonder which MAFIA will he blame for the Rawalpindi Ring road

It seems like guy who was accused resigned and wasn’t protected due to his supposed friendship with IK. Has this ever happened with PPP/PMl-N? Has any of their ministers ever resigned just based in an accusation?

Like PTI or not but it’s clear that they are head and shoulders above Noon/PPP when it comes to dealing with corruption. JKT and Bukhari are both big fishes but even they couldn’t go scot free.

 

[El Generico]

Very disappointed in Imran Khan. He won the elections on the platform that he will stop corruption. But his own party members are involved in corruption

Does your view change after the fact that the accused resigned and is going be investigated? Isn’t stuff like this unprecedented in Pakistan?

 

[MenInG]

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said on Tuesday that no evidence of the involvement of any minister or prime minister’s aide in the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project scam had been found yet.

In a series of tweets a day after Zulfi Bukhari resigned as the special assistant to the prime minister over allegations of being one of the direct beneficiaries of the realignment of the RRR project, Fawad said an initial investigation by the Rawalpindi commissioner revealed the involvement of a former Rawalpindi commissioner and other officers in the scam.

However, he added, no proof of the involvement of any minister or prime minister’s aide had been found yet.

According to background information obtained by Dawn, the fact-finding report that the commissioner had prepared in 10 days said some officials of Rawalpindi division were involved in the scam and some housing societies were benefitted when the alignment of the road was changed.

The report accused Bukhari of giving benefits to his relatives, including Tauqeer Shah, former principal staff officer to ex-CM Shehbaz Sharif, in acquisition of their land in Sangjani.

According to Fawad, Prime Minister Imran Khan had been told the ring road was increased to 23 kilometres to benefit a housing society and consequently, the government had to release funds worth Rs20 billion to buy additional land.

When the controversy surfaced, the chief minister and the commissioner were instructed to probe the matter, the federal minister said in his tweets, adding that these details were confirmed in the initial investigation conducted by the commissioner and that the matter would be referred to the relevant departments for further investigation.

The minister further said it was only in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s regime that investigations were launched against political leaders from the government when allegations were levelled against them.

This was not the case when the PPP and the PML-N were in government, he claimed.

“This is the change of the system. Government officials should have the fear of accountability [and] not even the most powerful are above the law,” Fawad tweeted. “The prime minister’s policy on accountability is clear. All citizens are equal in the eyes of the law.”

Besides Bukhari, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and Prime Minister Imran Khan have also been accused of benefitting from the realignment of the RRR project.

Sarwar has rejected giving benefit to a private housing society while offering to quit politics if corruption charges against him in the mega scandal are proved. The federal minister for aviation told a presser on Monday that he would take up the matter in the federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday (today).

According to a senior official of the Punjab government, the RRR case has been referred to the National Accountability Bureau and the Anti-Corruption Department of Punjab for thorough investigations on the directive of Prime Minister Imran Khan after two separate fact-finding reports — one from Rawalpindi commissioner and the other from deputy commissioner and additional commissioner — landed at PM office.

According to a Dawn report, the principal approval of new alignment of the RRR and land acquisition for it in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Attock was given by Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Punjab government had released funds for land acquisition without formally approving the new alignment of the road.

The Rawalpindi Ring Road was originally designed from Rewat to Turnol via Murat on GT Road but after realignment, its termination point was changed to Islamabad-Lahore Motorway (M1). The project was conceived during the last PML-N regime in 2016 and later discussed with the Chinese government as well.

 

[srh]

Does your view change after the fact that the accused resigned and is going be investigated? Isn’t stuff like this unprecedented in Pakistan?

yes it is unprecedented in Pakistan and Imran Khan should be appreciated although it is normal in other parts of the world.

 

[IMMY69]

yes it is unprecedented in Pakistan and Imran Khan should be appreciated although it is normal in other parts of the world.

Why is there always a caveat with people like you?

Didn't see Priti Patel resigning when she had accusations of bullying thrown against her.
Nor did she resign when she went against the May government and headed off to Israel for an impromptu meeting.

Then you have the PM himself, Boris Johnson..

Likewise, there are other politicians around the world that fail to resign when being investigated.

 

[Bewal Express]

yes it is unprecedented in Pakistan and Imran Khan should be appreciated although it is normal in other parts of the world.

Really? Boris and the Tories have been involved in a number of scandals during his tenure involving PPE amongst other things, no resignations at all. Trump and Jared Kushner heavily involved in Unethical and possibly corrupt practices, no resignations.

 

[srh]

https://youtu.be/qh85HxkasG0

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qh85HxkasG0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This scandal is much bigger than I initially thought. Thousands of people have lost their money.

 

[Bewal Express]

https://youtu.be/qh85HxkasG0

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qh85HxkasG0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This scandal is much bigger than I initially thought. Thousands of people have lost their money.

There is a nexus of scamsters normally with the backing of Politicians and hence you have the billion Rps TTs but the good news is that the scam was caught early enough and so far the govt has spent little and what it did spend should be retrievable. Well done IK for stopping this scam and people need to go to jail. Lets see where this goes.

 

[srh]

There is a nexus of scamsters normally with the backing of Politicians and hence you have the billion Rps TTs but the good news is that the scam was caught early enough and so far the govt has spent little and what it did spend should be retrievable. Well done IK for stopping this scam and people need to go to jail. Lets see where this goes.

I thought this scandal was reported by PML-N in media? If yes then we should be thankful to PML-N to bring this in light and also to Imran Khan for taking action on it.

 

[Bewal Express]

https://youtu.be/qh85HxkasG0

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qh85HxkasG0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This scandal is much bigger than I initially thought. Thousands of people have lost their money.

Imran Riaz is a great anchor and this is what we need from journalists. Expose these practices and IA PK will move forward.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tues*day decided to initiate the process of electoral reforms by tabling the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Report 2019-20 in the National Assembly for starting a debate on it from May 24 even if the opposition abstains.

At the cabinet meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the controversial Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project also came under discussion and the premier expressed displeasure why Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan spoke to the press on the matter.

The cabinet members were apprised of the official visit of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to the Muslim states before his address at the UN General Assembly where he would convey the prevailing grief and anger in the Muslim world against Israel over the killing of innocent Palestinians.

While sharing details of the electoral reforms move with the media following the cabinet meeting, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said: “The government is going to present the ECP Report 2019-20 in the parliament as the proposed electoral reforms are crucial for free and fair elections. We will start debate from Monday even if the opposition does not take part in it.”

Imran expresses displeasure over aviation minister’s presser about ring road scam

The minister said the government had already promulgated an ordinance to enable the ECP to use the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the next general elections. “This week National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs would invite the parliamentary reporters and leaders for examining the EVMs. It would help them understand as to how those gadgets would prove effective in preventing rigging in the elections in future,” he added.

After the 2018 general elections, Mr Chaudhry said, the opposition had blamed the collapse of Result Transmission System (RTS) for their defeat but later they accused officials of some institution of issuing voting slips in some areas and finally they claimed non-availability of Form-46 led to their defeat in the elections. Yet the opposite maintained there was no need for electoral reforms claiming that only pre-poll rigging had taken place in the general elections, the minister said.

He asked the opposition to clear its position whether it wanted to give a right of vote to overseas Pakistanis or not.

Recalling the controversies related to the by-polls in Daska and Karachi held in recent months, Mr Chaudhry termed the e-voting system an ultimate solution to ensure transparent elections in the country. He said it would help announce election result of a constituency in 20 minutes after polling.

The minister said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had never come to power through transparent elections, as the apex court in 1990 had declared that the party had done systematic rigging to win the elections. The PML-N did not believe in electoral reforms as the party realized they could not come into the power without rigging.

Qureshi’s visit to US

Talking about the Palestine issue, the minister expressed the hope that all Muslim nations raise a unanimous voice for the Palestine issue at the UN General Assembly session.

He said the cabinet was briefed that Mr Qureshi was in Ankara from where he would leave for New York along with Turkish, Sudanese and Palestinian foreign ministers. He would speak at UNGA debate on “The situation in the Middle East” and the “Question of Palestine” on May 20, the minister said, adding that the entire nation would express solidarity with the Palestinians by observing Palestine Day on Friday (May 21).

Ring road scam

It was learnt that the prime minister during the cabinet meeting asked Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan why he had held a press conference when he had not been mentioned as being an accused or a beneficiary of the ring road realignment in the fact-finding report.

The PM told him that he could respond to allegations on social media when Mr Sarwar said he was being maligned in the media. As Mr Khan mentioned that the Punjab government had referred the case to Anti-Corruption Department, the aviation minister raised objection over the terms of reference of the anti-graft department’s inquiry committee. Mr Sarwar questioned why the NOC issue of a private housing society given by the Civil Aviation Authority (CCA) had been included in the TORs.

In reply to a question, the information minister said Mr Sarwar had already cleared his position over the Rawalpindi Ring Road project at the press conference as well as in the federal cabinet meeting.

Talking about PML-N leader Ishaq Dar, Mr Chaudhry said an ordinance would be promulgated soon to make it mandatory for members of parliament to be sworn in within six months of their election, as “PML-N leader Ishaq Dar is still at large and did not take oath in the Senate even after the passage of three years”.

The cabinet was told that the number of mobile users had increased to 184 million in April 2021, whereas the broadband users had touched the 100 millions benchmark.

Mr Chaudhry said Rs 1,100 billion was spent in rural economy. Sale of tractors had gone up by 55 per cent. The government was issuing ‘Kissan card’ for the uplift of the agriculture sector and welfare of farmers. The agriculture ministry was bringing a new proposal, aimed at revolutionising the agriculture sector by spending Rs110bn. “It is also meant to enhance milk production five-fold by revolutionizing the livestock sector,” he added.

About the cases against PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif, the minister said both the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the judiciary were fully independent and the government was supposed to facilitate them. He said some media anchors had played a role in creating an environment to help Nawaz Sharif escape abroad on medical ground.

He said talks were on with the British authorities to ease Covid-related quarantine restrictions for the overseas Pakistanis. The foreign office also took up the issue of travel restrictions on Pakistanis with the Saudi government, he added.

Regarding the Kashmir issue, the minister said Mr Khan had a clear stance that if India wanted dialogue it would have to take back unilateral action of August 5, 2019. “Pakistanis’ hearts beat with those of their Kashmiri brothers and the country will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiris,” he said.

The cabinet also sent a summary about relaxation in Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules for Kartarpur Sahab shrine to its board, he said.

The minister said the cabinet had given green light for transshipment of a container of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan from Karachi to Kabul. He said the cabinet approved the regular public transport licence to Ms/ Fly Jinnah Services (private) Ltd.

He said it gave approval for issuing a commemorative coin to celebrate the 70 years of Pakistan-China relations. The Peoples Bank of China would also issue two commemorative coins, one of gold and other of silver, to commemorate the everlasting friendship between the two countries, he added.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2021

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.geo.tv/latest/350876-i-am-not-nawaz-sharif-zulfi-bukhari-proposes-placing-his-name-on-ecl

Former special assistant to the prime minister for overseas Pakistanis and human resource development Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari on Wednesday said that he resigned from his post two days ago out of his free will, adding that his name could be added to the Exit Control List (ECL) if someone fears he'd flee the country.

Speaking during Geo News' programme "Capital Talk," the former SAPM, who is popularly knowns as Zulfi Bukhari, said that had his name not been referenced in the Rawalpindi Ring Road scam inquiry report, he would not have tendered his resignation.

"I have not been accused of anything in the report but my name has been irresponsibly referenced in the report," Zulfi said. "The report mentions the name of Dr Tauqeer Shah, who is my mother's first cousin. I am the only relative of Dr Shah who works for the government."

Zulfi said: "Even if that one line referencing me had not been mentioned in the report, I would not have resigned.

He said that Dr Tauqeer Shah was Shahbaz Sharif's principal secretary in 2017.

"Dr Tauqeer is entitled to defend himself, but how could the [inquiry commission] link my name with him?" Zulfi questioned. "The one who has referenced my name in the report should bring forth evidence first."

Zulfi said that he wants the government to form a judicial commission to probe the R3 scandal and has already requested Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding the matter, adding that it makes no difference to him as to who would conduct the inquiry.

"According to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, I will get hold of a briefcase and flee the country. My name could be entered into the Exit Control List (ECL) if someone fears I'd flee. I am not going anywhere. The inquiry should be completed," he said.

He said that he was first an overseas Pakistan and chose to become a local Pakistani later, adding that Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, and Shahbaz Sharif are the ones who want to flee the country, not him.

When questioned about him owning property in Pakistan, Zulfi said that he owns a property development business in England but he or his family does "not even own an inch of property anywhere near the Ring Road."

It should be recalled that Zulfi had resigned from his post on Monday, May 17, after his name was referenced in the R3 scam inquiry report. Taking to Twitter, the former SAPM had written that resigned from the post as PM Imran Khan has always maintained that a person named in an inquiry should resign from public office till they are cleared of the charges.

“My prime minister has always said that if a person has been named rightly or wrongly in any inquiry he should cease to hold any public office till his name has been cleared of charges. Owing to the allegations in the ongoing Ring Road inquiry, I want to set this example by resigning from office until my name is cleared up of any allegations and media’s obnoxious lies,” said Bukhari.

The former SAPM, who is a close confidante of PM Imran Khan, reiterated that he had nothing to do with Rawalpindi Ring Road or any ongoing Real Estate project of the country.

However, he urged that the “inquiry should be done by capable personnel” and backed the idea of the “judicial inquiry” of the project.

“I’m here to stay in Pakistan and stand united with the prime minister and his vision. I sacrificed my life overseas to come and serve my country, I am ready to face any inquiry,” said the SAPM.

Punjab removes six officers for alleged involvement in Rawalpindi Ring Road scam

Last week, the Punjab government removed six mid-career officers over their alleged involvement in the Rawalpindi Ring Road scam, a report in The News said.

An inquiry had been held at the highest level in the provincial government after which it emerged that changes had been made to the actual plan of the Rawalpindi Ring Road to create new road infrastructures.

These changes, the inquiry determined, were made to benefit some influential personalities. These changes would have increased the cost of the project by Rs25bn, said sources.

Implementation of the plan was stopped on the orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan once he was apprised of the scam.

Punjab Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik shuffled the officers after the Rawalpindi Ring Road scam inquiry was completed.

Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Capt (R) Muhammad Anwarul Haq, Deputy Commissioner Attock Ali Anan Qamar and Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Capt (R) Shoaib Ali were removed from their posts with immediate effect and directed to report to the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD).

Deputy Commissioner Chakwal Capt (R) Bilal Hashim has been given the additional charge of the Rawalpindi District. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Attock, Shehryar Arif Khan has been given additional charge of the post of deputy commissioner Attock, while Additional Deputy Commissioner General Capt (R) Qasim Ijaz will also take care of the Revenue Dept of Rawalpindi District.

Assistant Commissioner Rawalpindi Saddar Ghulam Abbas and Assistant Commissioner Fateh Jang Muhammad Azeem Shaukat Awan have also been asked to report to the Punjab S&GAD.

The prime minister earlier had directed Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to launch a probe into the scam.

PML-N seeks judicial probe into Rawalpindi Ring Road scam

As soon as the report surfaced, the PMLN demanded the constitution of a judicial panel, comprising the judges of the Supreme Court, to investigate the Rawalpindi Ring Road scandal.

PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar, while talking to media at the party’s Model Town office, said that nowadays the Rawalpindi Ring Road scandal has been the talk of the town and many bureaucrats were transferred due to this scam.

He alleged that so far Rs2.3 billion has been paid to various property dealers and most of them were the frontmen of a close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan and PTI minister Ghulam Sarwar. He also claimed that CM Punjab Usman Bazar held two meetings through PND to remodel the project.

He demanded the Punjab government to release the original plan of the project and tell the people that from where it was starting and where it was ending.

Tarar further claimed that Adviser to Chief Minister Salman Shah also held meetings on it.

The PML-N leader alleged that the Punjab government was buying land and paying compensation only to like-minded people as many friends and advisers of the prime minister live there.

He recalled Imran Khan always said that he will not give NRO to the Opposition but he never took action against his own people and it seemed that this time he will again reward his people.

Tarar claimed that the PML-N had planned 26km but the PTI government extended it to 66 kilometres and this project was also extended to Islamabad.

He declared it as a daylight robbery by the PTI stalwarts.

“You have carried out this robbery using government resources and extended the project to 66 kilometres,” he said, adding the PML-N government was accused of wrongdoing in the Ashiana project, which was on public-private partnership and so far nothing came out of it.

He criticised the government for making government officials scapegoats.

The PML-N leader said on February 19, 2021, Usman Buzdar's Adviser Salman Shah also approved it and two PTI leaders had been given crores of rupees.

He demanded that a commission of the Supreme Court should be formed to investigate this scandal. He also appealed to the Supreme Court to take notice of this issue.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: More than Rs130 billion has been made in property deals as part of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project since its conception in 2017, an initial inquiry into the scam found.

According to the new official findings, 18 politically-connected individuals and 34 influential builders and property tycoons have acquired around 64,000 kanals of land in different deals within the limits of the Rawalpindi/Attock loop, Paswal Zigzag, GT Road and Islamabad Margalla Avenue, The News reported.

The value of this land was expected to multiply once work on the Rawalpindi Ring Road project started.

An examination of official records, files and initial findings of investigators linked with the project found that these 52 individuals, either directly or through frontmen, collectively acquired over 63,828 kanals of land by paying an estimated Rs31 billion to the real owners. Some portions of the lands were allegedly grabbed in the last four years.

Societies and property tycoons sold around 0.32 million files/pledges of plots by generating an estimated Rs131 billion from clients, officials revealed.

According to the publication's news report, dealers have also yet to pay tax against 67% of the land deals, which remains at Rs1.7 billion. Around 60% of societies and builders did not meet the basic registration criteria.

Hundreds of thousands of land registrations, however, were being sold to bulk purchasing investors and potential buyers on 10% to 30% down payments in the market, revealed off-the-record discussion/interviews with around a dozen senior officials of the RDA, CDA and Attock/Rawalpindi/ICT administration.

Were government officials involved in the Rawalpindi Ring Road property deals?
The possible involvement of more than a dozen government officials, including ministers, special assistants to the prime minister, MNAs, senators and MPAs, with these property deals was reviewed by the investigators too.

They could have been either direct or indirect beneficiaries of the newly-planned route had the project been executed.

"Some of them either collectively inherited over 17,110 kanals of land or recently purchased a major chunk of land, which apparently in one way or the other was close to the jurisdictions of the Rawalpindi Ring Road. Some of them had already ancestral lands in the concerned area while others appeared on the scene after the announcement of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project," the publication reported.

As many as 18 housing societies and builders purchased over 11,300 kanals land in nine mauzas, the investigation found. These were in Moorat, Jungle, Raman, Ganda, Daulat Pur, Mehlu, Bango, Kanial and Qutbal and directly or indirectly connected to the Attock Loop, according to the investigation.

These builders and property tycoons paid around Rs1 billion to the original owners of the land but they themselves generated over Rs11 billion from clients by hiking the land price in the last two years.

"Some 10 housing societies acquired over 24,540 kanals of land. Real estate players, thus, paid Rs3 billion to land owners by generating around Rs50 billion after selling files in the past four years, according to preliminary findings," the publication reported, adding that six housing societies acquired 10,871 kanals of land and made around Rs35 billion near the New Islamabad International Airport, GT Road, Paswal Zigzag and Margalla Avenue. As many as 19 of total 34 housing societies and construction companies were not registered even, revealed investigation.

Almost 60% of societies and builders are selling ownership titles of land in bulk through advertisements by showing proximity of the society with the Rawalpindi Ring Road project, the investigation found.

Some 309 individuals and 11 firms have gone into litigation against these real estate tycoons while NAB started an inquiry against seven housing societies and 15 individuals. Some 31 government officials and around a dozen retired officers of armed forces were also allegedly abetting those involved in these land dealings as well as in framing the desired Rawalpindi Ring Road alignments.

FIA, NAB, ACE to probe influential persons involved in Rawalpindi Ring Road scam
Federal Investigation Agency, National Accountability Bureau and Punjab ACE investigators will look at the influential persons who directly or indirectly got the new Rawalpindi Ring Road project alignment approved for favourable road links.

The new roads links could possibly benefit 34 plots of a former government influential and his family in Sectors C-15/16, Islamabad, and in one way or the other to 1,310 kanals land situated in the surroundings of Attock, investigators told Geo News.

The new alignment can possibly benefit a former PML-N senator who owns over 4,700 kanals in Fatehjang, Attock and Mauza Rajar, according to official findings. Meanwhile, two PPP MNAs own 2,460 kanals of land in Sangani, Islamabad, which is apparently a proposed jurisdiction of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project.

Two federal ministers allegedly owned over 1,531 kanals of land in Fatehjang and some parts of Attock border linked to the project's routes, revealed the investigation. A son of a federal minister also allegedly has shares in a private housing society that finds its feet in the jurisdiction of the project in Attock, claimed investigators.

Another PML-N MNA owned over 1,100 kanals of land near the road in Fatehjang and other parts of district Attock, investigators found, while two PML-N MPAs own over 1,400 kanals of land in Attock, close to the Rawalpindi Ring Road routes.

A PTI MNA and two PTI MPAs were also part of the group.

Six PTI MPAs allegedly owned hundreds of kanals land in the village of Qazi, 4,000 kanals in Gaggan Tehsil Jand Attock, over 600 kanals of land in Sector B-17, Islamabad, and Paswal and six kanals of land in Sector E-13 in Islamabad, along with multiple proposed link roads associated with the Rawalpindi Ring Road, according to the investigation.

 

[Bewal Express]

ISLAMABAD: More than Rs130 billion has been made in property deals as part of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project since its conception in 2017, an initial inquiry into the scam found.

According to the new official findings, 18 politically-connected individuals and 34 influential builders and property tycoons have acquired around 64,000 kanals of land in different deals within the limits of the Rawalpindi/Attock loop, Paswal Zigzag, GT Road and Islamabad Margalla Avenue, The News reported.

The value of this land was expected to multiply once work on the Rawalpindi Ring Road project started.

An examination of official records, files and initial findings of investigators linked with the project found that these 52 individuals, either directly or through frontmen, collectively acquired over 63,828 kanals of land by paying an estimated Rs31 billion to the real owners. Some portions of the lands were allegedly grabbed in the last four years.

Societies and property tycoons sold around 0.32 million files/pledges of plots by generating an estimated Rs131 billion from clients, officials revealed.

According to the publication's news report, dealers have also yet to pay tax against 67% of the land deals, which remains at Rs1.7 billion. Around 60% of societies and builders did not meet the basic registration criteria.

Hundreds of thousands of land registrations, however, were being sold to bulk purchasing investors and potential buyers on 10% to 30% down payments in the market, revealed off-the-record discussion/interviews with around a dozen senior officials of the RDA, CDA and Attock/Rawalpindi/ICT administration.

Were government officials involved in the Rawalpindi Ring Road property deals?
The possible involvement of more than a dozen government officials, including ministers, special assistants to the prime minister, MNAs, senators and MPAs, with these property deals was reviewed by the investigators too.

They could have been either direct or indirect beneficiaries of the newly-planned route had the project been executed.

"Some of them either collectively inherited over 17,110 kanals of land or recently purchased a major chunk of land, which apparently in one way or the other was close to the jurisdictions of the Rawalpindi Ring Road. Some of them had already ancestral lands in the concerned area while others appeared on the scene after the announcement of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project," the publication reported.

As many as 18 housing societies and builders purchased over 11,300 kanals land in nine mauzas, the investigation found. These were in Moorat, Jungle, Raman, Ganda, Daulat Pur, Mehlu, Bango, Kanial and Qutbal and directly or indirectly connected to the Attock Loop, according to the investigation.

These builders and property tycoons paid around Rs1 billion to the original owners of the land but they themselves generated over Rs11 billion from clients by hiking the land price in the last two years.

"Some 10 housing societies acquired over 24,540 kanals of land. Real estate players, thus, paid Rs3 billion to land owners by generating around Rs50 billion after selling files in the past four years, according to preliminary findings," the publication reported, adding that six housing societies acquired 10,871 kanals of land and made around Rs35 billion near the New Islamabad International Airport, GT Road, Paswal Zigzag and Margalla Avenue. As many as 19 of total 34 housing societies and construction companies were not registered even, revealed investigation.

Almost 60% of societies and builders are selling ownership titles of land in bulk through advertisements by showing proximity of the society with the Rawalpindi Ring Road project, the investigation found.

Some 309 individuals and 11 firms have gone into litigation against these real estate tycoons while NAB started an inquiry against seven housing societies and 15 individuals. Some 31 government officials and around a dozen retired officers of armed forces were also allegedly abetting those involved in these land dealings as well as in framing the desired Rawalpindi Ring Road alignments.

FIA, NAB, ACE to probe influential persons involved in Rawalpindi Ring Road scam
Federal Investigation Agency, National Accountability Bureau and Punjab ACE investigators will look at the influential persons who directly or indirectly got the new Rawalpindi Ring Road project alignment approved for favourable road links.

The new roads links could possibly benefit 34 plots of a former government influential and his family in Sectors C-15/16, Islamabad, and in one way or the other to 1,310 kanals land situated in the surroundings of Attock, investigators told Geo News.

The new alignment can possibly benefit a former PML-N senator who owns over 4,700 kanals in Fatehjang, Attock and Mauza Rajar, according to official findings. Meanwhile, two PPP MNAs own 2,460 kanals of land in Sangani, Islamabad, which is apparently a proposed jurisdiction of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project.

Two federal ministers allegedly owned over 1,531 kanals of land in Fatehjang and some parts of Attock border linked to the project's routes, revealed the investigation. A son of a federal minister also allegedly has shares in a private housing society that finds its feet in the jurisdiction of the project in Attock, claimed investigators.

Another PML-N MNA owned over 1,100 kanals of land near the road in Fatehjang and other parts of district Attock, investigators found, while two PML-N MPAs own over 1,400 kanals of land in Attock, close to the Rawalpindi Ring Road routes.

A PTI MNA and two PTI MPAs were also part of the group.

Six PTI MPAs allegedly owned hundreds of kanals land in the village of Qazi, 4,000 kanals in Gaggan Tehsil Jand Attock, over 600 kanals of land in Sector B-17, Islamabad, and Paswal and six kanals of land in Sector E-13 in Islamabad, along with multiple proposed link roads associated with the Rawalpindi Ring Road, according to the investigation.

Although large projects are needed, we see why the Nooras were so keen on them. They create room for legalised corruption and the tax payer gets fleeced. Shame the PTI guys involved and they should be punished more harshly for betraying our trust.

 

[MenInG]

Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Saturday said the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project should be launched this year as it held "national importance" and it was a flagship project of the ruling PTI which shouldn't be dropped.

Speaking to the media in Rawalpindi, the aviation minister said: "I had the same demand yesterday and today, that the project shouldn't be dropped. This Ring Road is a project of national importance."

Addressing the current investigations on the project, he said he had called on the cabinet and the prime minister to get an inquiry carried out by the relevant institutions and agencies such as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal investigation Agency and urged "action against whoever is found involved in [the scam]."

The prime minister had recently ordered an inquiry into the changes in the alignment of the RRR project, which had not only increased the cost of the project by Rs25 billion but also allegedly benefited some private housing societies.

The aviation minister said he was not calling for the project to be launched according to the alleged changes to its alignment, which have stirred controversy, but "whatever is decided by the investigating institutions".

"Whatever alignment you have to do, the project should be started this year since this is a project of national importance. It's a flagship project of the PTI and is particularly important for the people of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

"We will not allow it to fall prey to any conspiracy," he said, reiterating his call for the project to be started even if the changes to its alignment were cancelled or even if investigations continued.

He said it was the task of those responsible for the project to determine the feasibility of any alignment but said "there should be a time limit to it. The alignment should be finalised within two to three months and it should be re-tendered and inaugurated this year."

Khan said he had told the same to the prime minister and claimed: "We will inaugurate it this year and have the prime minister and the chief minister do its groundbreaking ceremony.

"All these conspiracies, discussions in the media and attempts of the opposition to turn it into a scandal; there will be no scandal and this project of national importance will be started and will reach completion."

The inquiry
According to a senior official of the Punjab government, the RRR case was referred to NAB and the Anti-Corruption Department of Punjab for thorough investigations on the directive of Prime Minister Imran Khan after two separate fact-finding reports — one from the Rawalpindi commissioner and the other from the deputy commissioner and additional commissioner — had landed in his office.

These reports suggest the alignment plan of the road was increased to 23 kilometres to benefit private housing societies and consequently, the government had to release funds worth Rs20 billion to buy additional land.

The controversy over the project also saw the resignation of Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis, over allegations that he was among the beneficiaries of the road's changed alignment.

Opposition parties claim Sarwar Khan also benefitted from the road's realignment as his lands were near the project.

However, the aviation minister said if corruption charges against him were proved, he would quit politics and denied that he or his family had any links with the housing societies from which the government had acquired land for the project.

'I am not running away from inquiry'
During today's presser, Khan said he had presented himself before the authorities and reiterated that neither he nor his family had any relation to the realignment, adding that he did not have any involvement in the purchase of land near the project.

"I want to repeat that we don't have any relation with its alignment or any financial interests associated with societies nor is any of our land part of the Ring Road project.

"I am not running away from an inquiry. Probe me, my family [and] my children. If any of us are found responsible for any irregularity then take action," Khan said.

He added that the prime minister had told him that his name wasn't even in the reports submitted to him and thus there was no need for his previous press conference on the issue.

"I said my name is indeed not in the report but this discussion is part of media and social media and I am a public representative and I have to clear myself."

'No groups in the PTI'
The aviation minister also addressed reports of divisions within the PTI and claimed: "There is no grouping in the PTI."

He said there could be grievances of some people in the party against some officials but these were "small differences" like those amongst family members.

As for the investigations against estranged PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen, Khan said many people had faced inquiries and sitting ministers had been sent to jail.

"Everyone will have to go through the process of accountability and it will be across the board. There will be no injustice with anyone and no one will be politically victimised," he stressed.

"PTI is one. These are all people of PTI and they are standing with it. There is no forward bloc or grouping in PTI."

DAWN

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1626579/normalising-relations-with-india-at-present-would-be-a-major-betrayal-to-kashmiris-pm-imran

The premier was also questioned on the status of the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project and when it would be completed to which he responded that it was a "good project" and one that was sorely needed for Rawalpindi. He said it was part of efforts to revamp the city and develop it as a new business district.

Regarding the RRR scam, he said a powerful team was working on its probe in the anti-corruption department and its result would come out in two weeks and then action would be taken on its basis.

Prime Minister Imran also received many questions regarding issues faced by citizens at the hands of housing societies or their properties being taken over by landgrabbers. He responded that a board had been made which would be responsible for investigating the legality of housing societies, and the conditions for regularising illegal housing schemes, while those which did not fulfil them would be closed.

He added that a committee headed by Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh would categorise these housing societies and there would be a crackdown against "taking people's money and running away",

"There will be laws so if anyone makes an illegal society they will be directly [charged] with a criminal offence so they are sent to jail," the premier said, also calling upon overseas Pakistanis to report their complaints of landgrabbing on the Pakistan Citizen Portal.

He announced that land records would be mapped and computerised in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad by August which would make it harder for landgrabbers to take over land and property.

 

[MenInG]

Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said that the resignation of former special assistant to the prime minister on overseas Pakistanis, Zulfi Bukhari, had not been accepted, adding that he would rejoin the federal cabinet after the inquiry into the Rawalpindi Ring Road project concludes.

Speaking on DawnNewsTV show 'Live with Adil Shahzeb', the minister said that Bukhari had nothing to do with the scam. "He is young so he got a little emotional and offered his resignation," he said, adding that it "had not been accepted".

He added that the former SAPM was also not being investigated. "An inquiry is being conducted against government officials who changed the alignment etc. No political figure played a role in this."

He said that once the inquiry concludes and Bukhari is cleared of all charges, he will rejoin his office.

Talking about himself, Khan also said that the prime minister was "satisfied since day one" that he had nothing to do with the scam. "I have a political attachment to it as it is of national importance," he said.

"This [project] is also a major necessity of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. An inquiry needs to be conducted so that those responsible can be held accountable," he said, adding that it was a flagship project for the PTI.

He said that he raised this point during his meeting with the prime minister on Wednesday. "This project will soon begin with a new alignment," he claimed, adding that it will also be completed on time.

When asked about the fact that the project was not included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the Punjab government, the minister said that money was allocated last year of which some was also released.

"The project is still alive at the same stage. The Punjab government had to do land acquisition and it was supposed to be completed through public-private partnership. Only the alignment needs to be changed."

Zulfi Bukhari's resignation
In May, Bukhari had resigned from his position over the allegations levelled against him in the Rawalpindi Ring Road project scam. In a series of tweets, Bukhari said he was stepping down until his name was cleared of "any allegations and media’s obnoxious lies" regarding the case.

He recalled Prime Minister Imran Khan as saying that "if a person has been named rightly or wrongly in any inquiry he should cease to hold any public office till his name has been cleared of charges".

"Owing to the allegations in ongoing Ring Road inquiry I want to set this example by resigning from office until my name is cleared up of any allegations and media’s obnoxious lies," he wrote.

The premier's aide reiterated that he had "nothing to do" with the Ring Road or any other ongoing real estate project. "This time the inquiry should be done by capable personnel, I endorse a judicial inquiry," he said.

"I’m here to stay in Pakistan and stand united with the Prime Minister and his vision," Bukhari, who is a dual British-Pakistani national, stressed. "I sacrificed my life overseas to come and serve my country, I am ready to face any inquiry."

Prime Minister Imran had appointed Bukhari as his special assistant on overseas Pakistanis and human resource development a month after taking office in September 2018. He had the status of a minister of state for his office.

Rawalpindi Ring Road scam
Prior to Bukhari's resignation, the prime minister ordered a full-fledged inquiry into the RRR project scam after which the Punjab government decided to send the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) or the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for thorough investigation.

The decisions were taken as two fact-finding reports — one by the Rawalpindi commissioner and the other by the deputy commissioner — landed at the prime minister office, with the second report hinting that the project had been realigned with the approval of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and his finance adviser Dr Salman Shah.

However, the PML-N had demanded action against the relevant authorities for approving the road’s realignment, asserting that Chief Minister Buzdar, Prime Minister Imran and "direct beneficiaries" such as cabinet members Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Bukhari should not be exempted.

DAWN

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1631979/zulfi-bukhari-again-rubbishes-reports-of-covert-israel-trip-but-bilawal-says-something-is-fishy

Former special assistant to the prime minister on overseas Pakistanis, Zulfi Bukhari, on Monday once again denied reports that he had travelled to Israel covertly.

This is the second time that Bukhari has denied reports about travelling to Israel. He had dispelled similar reports last year in December, claiming that he had been with the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner at the time of the alleged visit in November.

According to Geo News, the rumours at the time had started after a news report claimed an adviser of Prime Minister Imran Khan had met Israeli officials at the Tel Aviv airport in November 2020 after getting approval for the visit from the US.

The report had claimed that an unnamed adviser with a British passport was taken to the “foreign ministry of Israel where he met several political officials and diplomats and delivered the message of the Pakistani premier”.

Since Bukhari is also a UK national, many on social media speculated that the reports referred to him.

The issue resurfaced again today after a Hebrew newspaper, Israel Hayom, published a news report regarding the alleged visit, quoting an unnamed source in Islamabad.

Avi Scarf of Israel's Haaretz newspaper said that according to the report, Bukhari travelled to Israel to meet Mossad spy agency chief Yossi Cohen. He stated that the news report had been attributed to a "source in Islamabad", adding that it was published after permission from the Israeli military censor.

Rubbishing the claims, Bukhari said: "Funny bit is Pakistani paper says I went to Israel based on 'Israeli news source' and Israeli paper says I went to Israel based on a 'Pakistani source' — wonder who this imaginative Pakistani source is.

"Apparently, I’m the only one who was kept out of the loop," he added.

In addition to Bukhari, Prime Minister's Focal Person on Digital Media Arslan Khalid also dispelled the claims. "Bukhari had clarified last year that he was never sent by the government to Israel. This Israel-India-Pak fake news peddlers network is getting so boring and predictable," he said.

He also called on the media to "show a little maturity and not promote fake news".

"The last time when the same propaganda was run, not only did Bukhari deny and sent a legal notice but the Middle East Monitor, who reported it, also had to apologise," he said.

Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri also termed the reports "baseless and misleading".

"No such visit to Israel has been undertaken," he said, recalling that the FO had rebutted similar reports in December.

"There is no change in Pakistan’s principled position. Pakistan has consistently called for a two-state solution, with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Sharif as the capital of [the] Palestinian state," he added.

Despite the rebuttals, PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called on the government to bring "all the facts" about Bukhari's reported visit to Israel before the public.

Speaking to reporters in the parliament, he said it would be "very easy" for the government to make public the flight manifest and flight path of the airplane that allegedly carried Bukhari to Israel during those dates.

"If the [airplane] did not pick up Zulfi Bukhari then who was taken on board?" he added, saying he felt that "something is fishy."

He asked the media to also investigate whether Bukhari had travelled to Israel via other countries on the plane that he said reportedly stayed in Israel for 10 hours.

Bilawal also claimed that he had information about another meeting involving National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf — with Israeli officials, apparently — on which he said the PPP had "serious questions" to which it sought answers.

"We have no objections; whatever the government's policy is, it should at least make it public. We have serious concerns about doing such things in the dark of the night," the PPP leader added.

 

[Bewal Express]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1631979/zulfi-bukhari-again-rubbishes-reports-of-covert-israel-trip-but-bilawal-says-something-is-fishy

The misinformation is deliberate and aimed at causing confusion and chaos in PK.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1632178/situation-is-dangerous-in-afghanistan-zardari-warns-pakistan-could-face-blowback

Zardari was also asked about reports of former special assistant to the prime minister on overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari travelling to Israel covertly, to which he emphasised that the government should take parliament into confidence on the matter.

An Israeli publication had alleged on Monday that Bukhari had paid a secret visit to Tel Aviv as a messenger of Pakistani leaders — a claim that was instantly denied by the government and personally by Bukhari.

Such reports first surfaced in December according to which an unnamed adviser of the prime minister, possessing a British passport, had toured Israel to convey an official message proposing the normalisation of ties between Pakistan and Israel in return for an improvement in ties with Gulf states and support for Islamabad’s position on several other issues.

However, Bukhari rubbished the claims, tweeting: "Funny bit is Pakistani paper says I went to Israel based on 'Israeli news source' and Israeli paper says I went to Israel based on a 'Pakistani source' — wonder who this imaginative Pakistani source is. Apparently, I’m the only one who was kept out of the loop."

To another question about Zadari earlier predicting that the incumbent government would be ousted, the PPP chairperson remarked: "There is no government. The government would have been ousted had it existed in the first place."

 

[Kianig89]

He has to play a vital role now, he is doing the job for IK so far lets see