Military rule in occupied Kashmir will drive India to disaster, forewarns Sardar Attique

Former Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan on Thursday forewarned Indian public that complete takeover of occupied Kashmir by their army was the beginning of military rule and martial law in the so-called largest democracy. 

 “The continuity of curfew and virtual martial law in occupied Kashmir will drive India towards utter disaster...An area inhabiting hardly 10 million people has been given under absolute military rule. This marks the beginning of bringing entire India under military rule,” he prophesied at a press conference in Central Press Club Muzaffarabad. 

Khan, who recently quit the office of Muslim Conference president to pave way for another stalwart, expressed his gratitude to the international community for slapping condemnation on India for its Aug 5 move to annual the special status of occupied Kashmir and subsequent draconian measures to quell resistance in the territory. 

“Lately the Muslim countries have also reviewed their attitude vis-à-vis Kashmir for which we are grateful to them as well as to the government of Pakistan,” he said. 

Khan said that apart from the encouraging response of international media, civil society throughout the world was also rising not only to the Kashmir issue but also to the nefarious designs of BJP government within India, such as in Assam.

“Disintegration process in India has begun under Narendra Modi. I had remarked long ago that India is being ruled by Hindu Taliban,” he said.  

The former AJK premier was of the view that though the government of Pakistan had taken many appreciable measures “yet much more needed to be done” to bail out the besieged Kashmiris. 

Pakistan should strive for ‘pro-active’ engagement of international organisations to address the biggest issue of humanitarian relief for occupied Kashmir, he said.  

Of the ISPR chief Maj-Gen Asif Ghafoor’s Wednesday's presser, Khan maintained that Ghafoor had “represented the sentiments of the entire nation.” 

“[The territories of] Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan were liberated [in 1947] on the basis of the ideology of the erstwhile princely state’s accession to Pakistan. It’s not just a slogan but a mission,” he said.  

He pointed out that it was India that had declared “no first use” (of nuclear weapons) policy while Pakistan had not made any such announcement. 

“Imagine how an army that has failed to defeat hardly 4000 fighting youth [in occupied Kashmir] over the past three decades can fight Pakistan,” he said, reminding India that no army could wage a war without overwhelming support from the local population. 

“In Kashmir Pakistan army enjoys this edge over its rival. Along with the Pakistani military personnel, every single man, woman and child of Kashmir will vigorously fight India’s oppressor army,” he said.  

When asked if he supported Pakistan army’s intervention in occupied Kashmir, like that of the Indian army in former East Pakistan, he parried a direct reply. 

“If Pakistan could defeat a superpower [Soviet Union] in Afghanistan without sending its single trooper across the border, it can also happen in Kashmir,” he remarked.

However, he agreed with another questioner that the comparison between Afghanistan where the US was on the back of the fighters and occupied Kashmir was not fair.  

“If indispensable, army should be and can be launched into occupied Kashmir,” he said.

On a question about breaking the LoC, he said it was not appropriate time for any such move. 

“While a nuclear war looms large, we cannot engage our own troops by making attempts to cross the LoC. Why should we fight a war within our own home that we should be fighting in India?” 

Tariq Naqash  

JKLF announces to trample down LoC on Oct 4

The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a pro-independence organisation headed by incarcerated Kashmiri leader Muhammad Yasin Malik, on Thursday announced to hold a “peaceful freedom march” towards the Line of Control (LoC) on October 4, calling upon the governments in Islamabad and Muzaffarabad not to create any hindrance to the move. 

The announcement was made by JKLF central spokesperson Muhammad Rafiq Dar at a news conference here, in the company of party’s central vice chairmen Khawaja Saifuddin and Saleem Haroon, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) zone president Dr Syed Tauqeer Gillani, central treasurer Manzoor Ahmed Chishti, Students Liberation Front (SLF) chief Advocate Abdul Rahim Malik and others. 

“In order to express solidarity with the besieged population of India occupied Kashmir, to draw attention of the international community towards the state terrorism unleashed by India in the held territory and to press it to get the lingering issue permanently and democratically resolved on priority basis, we have taken a revolutionary decision to stage a ‘peaceful people’s freedom march’ from Bhimber to Chakothi under the leadership of acting JKLF chairman Abdul Hameed Butt,” Dar said. 

“Later, we would trample down the bloody line or the so called ceasefire line that splits the state of Jammu and Kashmir from Chakothi sector,” he added, referring to the LoC. 

This decision, Dar told, was taken on Friday (Aug 30) at the joint meeting of the JKLF’s most authorotative ‘supreme council’ and the zonal working committee of AJK and GB in Rawalpindi. 

The meeting was presided over by elderly vice chairman Hafiz Anwar Samavi, as acting chairman could not show up due to illness, he said, adding, Chaudhry Tanvir Ahmed and Khalid Kashmiri, heads of Europe and Middle East zones, respectively, were also among the attendees. 

Speaking about the situation in occupied Kashmir, the JKLF spokesperson pointed out that India had turned the whole territory into a military concentration camp, holding people hostage in their homes and cutting off all communication links amid round the clock curfew and crackdowns. 

He said JKLF chief Yasin Malik had already been lodged in solitary confinement in the infamous Tihar Jail while Joint Resistance leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had also been put under house arrest.

Apart from them, dozens of other leaders like Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Asiya Andrabi, Noor Muhammad Kulwal, Dr Fayyaz Ahmed, Mian Abdul Qayyum, Muhammad Yasin Khan, and hundreds of thousands of youth had also been incarcerated in different Indian prisons and torture cells, he added. 

Dar recalled that just three days after the Aug 5 Indian move, the JKLF supreme council had decided in principle to hold a peaceful public march and break the LoC in consultation with all AJK based political parties and All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leadership.  

He said the same suggestion was put forth by APHC representatives at an all party conference convened by AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider in Kashmir House Islamabad on Aug 9, which not only endorsed it but also made it part of the joint declaration. 

“In accordance with that decision, the AJK premier was supposed to fix date and place for the programme and work out strategy for it, but given his indifference and non serious attitude we were forced to take the initiative on our own,” he said. 

He said the party had constituted various committees for the success of programme. 

These committees would reach out people from all walks of life to garner their support and cooperation for the march. 

Responding to a question, Dar said that if the AJK government had any other date before or soon after Oct 4 in its mind for the cross LoC march, the JKLF was ready to readjust the date for a national consensus. 

“We are not for a solo flight. We gave this call after waiting for their response for over three weeks,” he said of the AJK government. 

The JKLF spokesperson also expressed the hope that the “government [of Pakistan and AJK] would not use force against the peaceful marchers.”

“We want to tell the world that we do not recognise this ill-omened line (LoC) and no law of the world restricts us from moving from one part to the other,” he said, and warned that “the use of force against thousands of marchers would change the situation which we do not want.” 

He said people of Pakistan had unconditional love for Kashmir, and therefore he would not say anything as could send a wrong message to them. 

Dar said the youth on this side of the divide had great passion to do something for their oppressed brethren in occupied Kashmir. 

"The younger generation is looking towards the leaders but unfortunately they are busy in power politics," he said and added: "There is too much rhetoric but as yet no practical step(s) on their part." 

He said JKLF had prepared alternatives in the event of being stopped by government, but he could not disclose them before time. 

It may be recalled that JKLF had made at least three attempts over the past three decades to cross the LoC. 

On Feb 11, 1992, its march had reached Chakothi, where Pakistani law enforcement personnel opened fire to restrict them from getting closer to the dividing line and as a result, 7 people were killed and scores others wounded. 

The party announced to resume the “stalled march” on March 30, the same year, but police arrested its leadership, including the then JKLF chairman Amanullah Khan (late), on March 26, and resultantly the announcement could not be actualized. 

On Oct 4, 1999, a similar march by JKLF from Hajira sector was stopped by police in the town of Hajira and Mr Khan and other leaders were taken into custody. 

Tariq Naqash

Salahuddin calls for Pakistan's military support to struggling Kashmiris

Syed Salahuddin gestures during an addresss to
a gathering in Muzaffarabad

Syed Salahuddin, chief of the United Jihad Council (UJC), an alliance of over a dozen groups fighting Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday asked Pakistan to send its troops across the Line of Control or provide military aid to the struggling Kashmiris until the UN dispatched peacekeeping forces to the occupied territory.

Speaking to a gathering in Muzaffarabad, in his first public talk in many months, he dilated at length on the situation in occupied Kashmir, particularly in the wake of India’s move of Aug 5, scrapping special status of the held territory, putting it on a lockdown, clamping ceaseless curfew and communications blockade. 

“It is for the first time in history that a whole nation has been immobilised and held hostage [by India] through a round the clock curfew and communication shutdown. The savage Indian imperialism is hell bent upon shedding the blood of innocent Kashmiris who are not ready to budge on their just stand,” said Salahuddin, whose Hizbul Mujahideen is the largest constituent of UJC.  

“[Indian Prime Minister] Narendra Modi has unilaterally scrapped the recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir to annex the occupied territory in accordance with his election manifesto,” he said.

“Sadly, our rulers, politicians and diplomats failed to take timely steps to frustrate this nefarious move,” he lamented, warning that Modi was pursuing his manifesto hotfoot that also included occupation of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Salahuddin pointed out that there had been around a dozen United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Kashmir, but the issue was yet to be resolved. 

This issue, he regretted, was never discussed in the UNSC after 1965 in what put a question mark on Pakistan’s diplomacy over all these years. 

He said in view of the “most alarming” situation in occupied Kashmir, it was the “responsibility of the UN to instantly land its peacekeeping forces there to save the humanity.” 

Salahuddin said Pakistan was the only worldly support for the oppressed Kashmiris after the Almighty Allah, and therefore the centre of their hopes. 

“In these testing times when India is obsessive about quelling resistance movement in occupied Kashmir and has dumped more than 10,000 youngsters into torture cells, Kashmiri people are looking towards Pakistan for the much needed military aid.” 

Addressing Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, he said if the deployment of UN peacekeepers was not possible immediately, Pakistan should enter its troops in the India occupied territory, for being a key party to this dispute.

“Political and diplomatic efforts are appreciable but nothing except use of force and jihad will work to evict India from Kashmir,” he said, warning that the time was running out very quickly.

 He said because of the untiring struggle and sacrifices of Kashmiri people Kashmir issue had been into the spotlight across the world.

Though the world was paying attention to Kashmir but India was a cruel, wicked and untrustworthy enemy that only understood the language of power, he said.

Reminding premier Khan and Gen Bajwa of an injunction from the Almighty, he said: “In fact, it is obligatory for the armed forces of Pakistan to enter occupied Kashmir to help the subjugated Kashmiris.”

“On our part, we assure that the moment Pakistani troops will step on the soil of occupied Kashmir, the whole Kashmiri nation will stand up [to fight] along side them.” 

“But if that’s not possible either, the second option is that Pakistan should arm the Kashmiri youth to fight India, to fulfil its responsibilities,” he said. 

Salahuddin also made a veiled reference to the crackdown that Pakistan had launched on militant groups after Pulwama attack. 

 “At this point, the harsh steps taken by Pakistan have restrained us and our aiders (in AJK) from launching armed resistance against India. This is not fair,” he said, warning that the restrictions were augmenting “misunderstandings and apprehensions” across the entire state.

In 2017, the United States had put Salahuddin, who originally hails from Badgam area of occupied Kashmir, on a list of global terrorists, a move that Islamabad had had described as unjustified.

Tariq Naqash

Mustafa Kamal advises PM Imran Khan not to shy away from war with India for Kashmir

Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal on Thursday advised Prime Minister Imran Khan not to shy away from war with India if it was inevitable for freedom of Kashmir.

“For God’s sake do not ever say that if we should go for a war with India [or not]. Instead say, yes we will go for a war; rather we will initiate a war, if India does not stop atrocities in occupied Kashmir instantly,” he told a group of reporters after paying a visit to a Kashmiri migrants’ camp here, on the second day of his visit to the AJK capital. 

Mustafa Kamal and colleagues offer Fatiha for Kashmiri martyrs

Accompanied by PSP President Anis Qaimkhani, vice chairman Ashfaq Mangi, members of National Council Syed Hafizuddin, Aafaq Jamal, and Shamshad Siddiqui, he conversed with refugee leaders and children and offered fatiha for the Kashmiri martyrs. 

“Make it clear to the whole world that if you will not stop India from unleashing terror [in occupied Kashmir], we will launch a war against her,” the PSP chairman said. 

He said India should not think that it has to fight just 800000 Pakistani troops but the 220 million Pakistanis, who included 25 million Karachiites.  

He advised the nation to come out of the delusions that so and so country was Pakistan’s friend.

“No one is the friend of the weakand oppressed... It’s not an ideal world. If we continue to shed tears and paint ourselves as weak, no one will come to our rescue,” he said.

 “Any misconceptions in this regard should stand removed after some recent happenings in the Middle East,” he said, referring to the conferment of awards on Indian prime minister Narendra Modi by some Arab states. 

“Be powerful instead. Only then the world will come in aid of you.” 

The PSP chief was of the view that Pakistan should create international community’s stakes in Kashmir.

“If we tell the world we cannot help it at the moment, the stake will be created.”

Continuing, he said: “The world is cruel and will not take mercy on you. Yes, when it will feel that nuclear war can set off anytime, they will come to us.” 

Walking through the camp with refugee leader Uzair Ghazali (r)

He said more than three weeks had lapsed India had not lifted curfew and other restrictions in occupied Kashmir. 

“The Kashmiris drape Pakistani flags around the coffins of their dead. What time we are waiting for now [to help them]? We will have to take the lead to force the world to rush to us [for settlement of the issue].”

Mr Kamal maintained that India alone was not an oppressor that had unleashed terror on Kashmiris “but all those persons and states choosing silence on the atrocities on Kashmiris were its abettor.” 

“Pak Sarzameen Party is on the soil of Kashmir to to tell you that our hearts beat with yours. We are not among the oppressors and abettors. We will support you to the last extent.” 

Referring to the situation in Karachi, Mr Kamal said it had a direct link with and bearing on Kashmir. 

“The city where I have come from was once dubbed by some people as ‘occupied Karachi.’ This term was being promoted by people who India had done investments on,” he said, without naming anyone directly.

“The past four decades bear testimony to the fact that whenever Kashmir movement picked up momentum, Karachi would suddenly plunge into ethnic, political and sectarian riots,” he added.  

He claimed that there were evidences and confessional statements by RAW agents apprehended in Karachi regarding funding by the Indian intelligence agency. 

“Why was RAW funding them? Because it wanted to divert attention from Kashmir to Karachi,” he said, adding: “We have fought Kashmir’s war in Karachi, without arms, and we have devastated RAW’s hold in Karachi.” 

He said an economically strong Pakistan was vitally important for Kashmir and economic progress was directly linked to peaceful atmosphere. 

“Since Karachi is the nerve centre of country’s economy, PSP has been helping maintain peace there and it’s an indirect contribution to Kashmir cause,” he asserted.  

He also appreciated the role and sacrifices of law enforcement agencies in Karachi but said the operation succeeded only after “we came in aid of them after giving up perks and privileges.” 

Coming back to Kashmir, Mr Kamal said his party had kept political differences at a bay on the question of Kashmir. 

“Our party has unconditionally supported all moves by the government, prime minister Imran Khan and state institutions on Kashmir.” 

“At the moment I will not criticize the state or the prime minister in any way. He (PM) is the captain. Whether he plays good or bad, we have to support him. Wherever needed we will back and buck him up and ask him to keep his stance strong.”  

He said Indian premier Modi had himself driven the last nail in the coffin of the so called “Akhand Bharat (undivided India) by scrapping Kashmir’s special status 

“It’s India’s misconception that it can change Kashmir’s demography by imitating Israeli practice in Palestine. India should know that there was no Pakistan in the surroundings of Palestine.” 

He said he could foresee disintegration of India with the emergence of my states. 

Responding to a question, he said no ruler or powerful person could sale out the blood of Kashmiris, even if they wanted so behind closed doors.

He did not agree with a questioner that some “unpleasant” solution of Kashmir had been agreed upon by the government of Pakistan. 

“These are just the speculations and conspiracy theories... Whatever Kashmiris want will happen. Nothing without their consent.” 

To another question, he said more than that of Pakistan, Mr Modi had himself internationalized Kashmir issue. 

Agreeing with a questioner, he said Pakistan should do the needful to project Kashmiri leadership. 

With this scribe at Central Press Club

“The AJK government should have the role of true representative of the whole [disputed] region. No one else can represent the oppressed Kashmiris the way you can.”

He said if Pakistan agreed to the mediatory role of any individual or country, there should not be any ambiguity in it. 

“Islamabad should ask the mediator to first persuade India lift curfew and release all Kashmiri detainees,” he said. 

A day earlier Mr Kamal had addressed "Meet the Press" programme of Central Press Club Muzaffarabad.

Ends 

Rs 4.2m drawn for PM's upcoming foreign tour

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider is all set to proceed to some European countries for almost two weeks later this week “to highlight Kashmir issue and interact with the Kashmiri diaspora,” according to an official notification circulated on Monday.

The notification states that the 3-member delegation led by Prime Minister Haider would visit United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Spain and Italy from October 6 to October 18 (including journey days).

“The delegation shall visit London to meet with Kashmiri Community. Later on the Prime Minister will move to France to participate in Kashmir Conference on the invitation of Ms Binet Stephanie from 7 to 8 October. Thereafter, the PM will participate in the events of ‘2017 Kashmir-EU Week’ from 9 to 10 October at Brussels (Belgium) under arrangement of Kashmir Council-EU. The PM will also visit Spain and Italy to interact with Kashmiri Community from 13 to 16 October,” reads the shoddily drafted notification.
The notification was silent about Ms Biter - the inviter in France.

The delegation includes senior minister Chaudhry Tariq Farooq and additional principal staff officer to PM Raja Arshad Hussain.

“Expenditures on the tour will be incurred against the budgetary head ‘Foreign Tour’ of PM Secretariat and will be regulated as per financial concurrence of the Finance Department,” added the notification.

However, there was no mention of the sanctioned amount in the notification, in a departure from the practice adopted by previous governments.

Sources in the PM secretariat told this scribe on condition of anonymity that the current year’s budget had an allocation of Rs 2.5 million for PM’s foreign tours.

However, as the expenses of the upcoming tour were estimated at Rs 4.2 million, the amount had been withdrawn in advance from (the funds of) Jammu Kashmir Liberation Cell (JKLC), after obtaining a formal concurrence from the Finance Department, sources said.

The prime minister happens to be the chairman of JKLC – an institution raised in late eighties to “highlight Kashmir issue at national and international level.” It meets its expenditures from what is called ‘Kashmir Cess,’ levied on all salaries drawn and payments (of contracts) made from the AJK exchequer, as well as on sale of properties.

Most of the expenses on foreign tours of government functionaries, in the name of projecting Kashmir cause, are secretly drawn from JKLC.

In 2016-17, the funds earmarked for foreign tours of AJK president and prime minister were Rs 2.5 million each. However, while the PM spent Rs 3.5 million the president splashed out Rs 3.9 million during the previous fiscal year.

But apart from these funds, the president had expended an additional Rs 1.55 million from the JKLC funds on his foreign tours in 2016-17, sources said.

In the first three months of the current fiscal year, the president has so far claimed Rs 4.1 million from JKLC funds for his foreign tours, while the premier has just drawn Rs 4.2 million for his upcoming visit, sources added.

Interestingly, the senior minister has only recently returned to the seat of government after a month long leave for a personal foreign tour to UK and some other foreign countries.

When this scribe asked him over telephone what had necessitated another tour to the same countries at official expense, he maintained that since he had been engaged with the Kashmir Council-EU for a long time, he was invited by the organization to attend its event in Brussels.

“However, I am yet to decide whether I will proceed or not,” the senior minister said.

In the absence of the prime minister, the senior minister functions as acting premier and AJK is abuzz with reports that both do not enjoy “very cordial relations” for quite some time.

Interestingly, as some people shared the notification on social media on Monday, there was a torrent of comments criticizing “wasteful” spending of taxpayers’ money on “junkets” on the pattern of previous PPP government. 

“I wish #AJKPM remembered his own views as opposition leader about wasteful expenses on foreign junkets in the name of #Kashmir,” tweeted Naeem Wani, a social media activist.

It may be recalled that in his previous 9-months stint as AJK premier, Mr Haider had not undertaken any foreign tour.

Instead, he was often heard criticize such tours that he then maintained only burdened the exchequer of the cash strapped region.

This scribe made several attempts to contact prime minister’s press secretary Raja Wasim for his reaction, but his all three cellular numbers were found switched off. 

Tariq Naqash

Cash-strapped AJK plans to buy new luxurious vehicles for ministers, bureaucrats

Facing a revenue shortfall of around 7 billion in the current fiscal year, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government is reportedly contemplating buying over three dozen new luxurious vehicles for cabinet members and senior bureaucrats, notwithstanding growing criticism of “reckless extravagance” with the exchequer of the cash-strapped region in this regard.

According to well placed sources, the preliminary process has been initiated by the concerned authorities for purchase of as many as 16 reconditioned 4200cc Parado jeeps worth Rs 10 million each and 23 brand new 1800cc Toyota Corolla Grande cars worth Rs 2.5 million each.

A 4700cc Land Cruiser Jeep worth Rs 25 million is also being separately purchased for Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, sources added.

Approval to purchase of new vehicles for ministers was given by the cabinet on April 18 after the ex-agenda item was tabled by none other than the prime minister.

However, as yet it’s not clear as to where the funds will be arranged from for the “unwarranted shopping” as the Finance Department is already struggling hard to seek additional funds from Islamabad to reduce revenue shortfall that sources say has made it difficult for the government to pay salaries and pensions before Eid.

The decision to buy new vehicles comes amid an overlong wait for a comprehensive transport policy dealing with purchase, allotment and use of official vehicles.

Misuse of vehicles a chronic issue

According to conservative estimates, there are more than 6000 official vehicles in the 13297 sq. km AJK territory, which has scanty fiscal resources of its own and (thus) banks mostly on grants from the Centre to meet most of its needs. 

Due to the alleged prodigality of successive governments, the “accumulative shortfall” since 2009-10 has soared to about Rs 25 billion and as a result payment of salaries and pensions turns out be a thorn in the side of the government every month, particularly after it exceeds its overdraft limit of Rs 4.5 billion and the State Bank stops clearance of its cheques.

Under the existing transport policy of 1993, cabinet members are entitled to two official vehicles, while the secretaries, including the chief secretary, are entitled to one official vehicle.

However, hardly a few secretaries follow this rule, while the majority brazenly possesses two to three additional vehicles.

Similar is the case with senior police officers, almost all of whom are in possession of two to three extra vehicles.

Official vehicles are being occupied even by those officials who do not qualify for their allotment.

The logbooks of such vehicles are maintained fictitiously, sources say, adding, wear and tear of official vehicles is another big source of embezzlement of millions of rupees every year in the absence of an effective monitoring system.

PML-N government’s claim

Since the alleged unjustified purchase of official vehicles and their unauthorized allotment and unchecked use had drawn scathing criticism from media and civil society in PPP rule, the PML-N government had vowed to address this issue on a priority basis.

At a cabinet meeting in October last year, it had decided to replace the existing transport policy with a new one.

However, ever since assuming office, the PML-N government has not enforced even any cosmetic measure as a precursor to a stringent policy about the allotment and utilization of official vehicles, lamented the sources.

A source told this scribe that after the cabinet decision, secretaries were asked to furnish details about the vehicles in their respective departments within one week. But none of them complied and none was made accountable for the lapse.   

“It appears the announcement regarding transport policy was just an eye-wash because neither the cabinet members nor the bureaucrats want enforcement of a tough policy that can eventually deprive them of the boon of retaining additional vehicles,” remarked one official on condition of anonymity.  

In December 2011, the then PPP government had constituted a 4-member committee, led by the then additional chief secretary general Aizaz Nasim, to collect details about official transport and indicate the officers using official vehicles beyond entitlement. The committee was also tasked to submit proposals for implementation of (existing) transport policy to control misuse of official vehicles. 

The report, a copy of which is available with this scribe, points out abuse of vehicles in detail and suggests 35 measures to arrest the unlawful practices in this regard.

However, the PPP government sat over the report over the next five years. 

“That report was enough to pull the plug on misuse of official vehicles. But, when it comes to arresting misuse of official vehicles, it seems that Raja Farooq Haider government is not different than Chaudhry Abdul Majeed led previous PPP government,” commented the official.

“When the public representatives, including the prime minister, are not ready to surrender extra vehicles, you should not expect the bureaucracy to withdraw unwarranted privileges,” he added.

When contacted by this scribe, Finance Minister Dr Najeeb Naqi dispelled the impression that the PML-N government was following the previous PPP regime regarding misuse of official vehicles.

“It were we who reclaimed many official vehicles from Zardari House after assuming office,” he said, but didn’t provide the number.

He claimed that a cabinet sub-committee tasked to revisit transport policy would present its recommendations in next cabinet meeting.

When asked if the committee will suggest some toughest measures to control the unlawful trend of misusing official vehicles, he said since he was not its member he could not say anything about it with certainty.

“We will ensure that the criteria for allotment and use of official vehicles is strictly followed,” he said.

Tariq Naqash