By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Broadsheet inquiry commission has blamed the country’s bureaucracy for delaying payments to the firm hired for finding assets of political leaders abroad that led to a US$9 million fine.
According to some of the findings, the commission headed by Justice retired Azmat Saeed conveyed to the prime minister, Deputy High Commissioner in London at that time Abdul Basit was blamed for the cancellation of the agreement with the Broadsheet.
“He is also responsible for 1.5 million dollars paid to a fake company,” the commission found further asking if there is diplomatic agreement globally which leaves lacunas, making it easy for the other party to gain from it.
It further pointed out that the secretary finance, who is part of the bureaucracy and answerable to the public and the government, is responsible for the US$9 million fine imposed owing to delay in payments to the Broadsheet.
The commission further termed Kaveh Moussavi as an untrustworthy man, highlighting that probing allegations leveled by him were out of the domain of the TORs of the inquiry commission and the government should decide on probing his claims.
The record of Swiss cases against Asif Zardari was also made part of the commission’s report, which carried photos of the diplomatic bags in which the record is preserved. The bags have an inventory written in English and French languages.
The list of Pakistan’s mutual legal assistance was also made part of the inquiry report as the commission said that the attorney general and law ministry should decide on unveiling the list or not. The report finalised by the broadsheet inquiry body also carries a report on Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia for exile.
Earlier on Monday, the Broadsheet inquiry commission had recommended to de-seal Swiss cases record of the former president Asif Ali Zardari.The committee in its report has unearthed the Swiss cases recorded kept in the record room of the NAB. The inquiry commission has recommended de-seal the record of the cases.