Pakistan embassy responds

I refer to the London Observer story How a Third World leader lives beyond his country's means published by The Jakarta Post on Sept. 30, 1998.

The whole story by the London Observer is based on a so-called report by Rahman Malik who is now an absconder and against whom an inquiry is being conducted on a number of charges. Rahman Malik who is the former additional director general of Pakistan's Federal Investigating Agency, failed to appear before the inquiry team in Islamabad on Sept. 26 to answer the charges. It would be interesting to note that Rahman Malik is an outlaw and criminal whose international warrants have already been issued.

The London Observer's story contains a number of glaring factual mistakes which lend it creditless. For instance the statement saying that Mr. Sharif has six brothers, is factually wrong. The flats in London alleged to be owned by the Sharif family were in fact rented for the use of the family.

A spokesman from the President's house in Islamabad said that the petition of a fugitive from the law (because of his abuse of the concession of bail in a corruption case) cannot be entertained. The spokesman further said that the petition cannot be adverted to in the absence of any evidence proving its authenticity, when even the genuineness of the signatures of the author cannot be vouchsafed.

The Chief of the Army Staff General Jehangir Karamat has totally denied he was "on the brink of declaring martial law in the country" as claimed by the Observer.

The Federal Investigation Agency of Pakistan has categorically denied that any inquiry report against the Prime Minister was sent to the President because no such report existed at all.

Rahman Malik was promoted out of turn during the previous government. During that period he tried his best, without any success, to establish these charges against the Prime Minister. He even traveled to Switzerland three times but could not get any information. When he could prove nothing he turned against the Sharif family and arrested the father of Mr. Nawaz Sharif and manhandled other members of his family.

The government of Pakistan has lodged a written complaint against The Observer, with the Press complaints Commission (PCC) in London, for violating the Code of Practice. The paper "has sought to undermine and destabilize the democratic political process in Pakistan," by publishing baseless stories, a letter written to the Director of the Press Complaints Center, Guy Black, said.

The Sharif family also reserves the right to take legal action against the publishers of this story.

SYED AYAS AHMED PIRSADA

Press Attache

Pakistan Embassy

Jakarta