The anti-corruption body of Pakistan – National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has found one of country’s former ambassador guilty for illegally selling the embassy building in the Indonesian capital Jakarta.
According to the reports, the National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan has filed a reference in court against former Pakistan Ambassador to Indonesia Major General (retd) Syed Mustafa Anwar stating that Anwar had sold the Pakistani embassy building in Jakarta at a throwaway price during 2001-2002.
The country’s graft body also alleged that the illegal sale of the embassy building had cost a loss of USD 1.32 million to Pakistan’s exchequer. According to NAB, the former ambassador Anwar was determined to sell the embassy building immediately after his appointment as an Ambassador to Indonesia.
The former Ambassador was in such a hurry to sell the embassy building that he had authorised an advertisement for the sale without even prior approval from the Pakistan Foreign Ministry, reports said. The accused was appointed as an Ambassador at Jakarta by the then General Pervaiz Musharraf administration.
No approval from Pakistan foreign ministry
As per the National Accountability Bureau’s court filing, Major General (retd) Syed Mustafa Anwar had only sent a proposal to the foreign ministry only after the commencement of the process of the sale began. The Foreign Ministry had, in turn, rejected the sale of the embassy building in Jakarta and communicated the same to Anwar in multiple letters.
Pakistani media has reported that Gen Anwar, flouting all rules, had sold the embassy building located at a prime location in Jakarta and had initiated the process of buying a new property for the embassy that was located at a distant, low-priced area.
Following the irregularities, the NAB has found Major General (retd) Syed Mustafa Anwar guilty under Section 9 (A) 6 of Pakistan’s National Accountability Ordinance for misuse of powers.
Interestingly, the then President of Pakistan General Musharraf, instead of proceeding against the former envoy for irregularities, had taken action against an officer who had complained to the Foreign Office of the alleged fraud.
As reported in Pakistani media, Musharraf had made the officer as an OSD till his retirement in 2007-08, only to keep him away from the foreign office. Musharraf had also given a further extension to Major General (retd) Syed Mustafa Anwar because he was a relative of his wife.
