Pakistan embassy responds
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