ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz on Tuesday said that an inter-ministerial committee to reveal facts about individuals involved money laundering and making fun of country’s institutions in light of the findings of UK-based law firm Broadsheet.
The development comes as an interview of Broadsheet CEO Kaveh Moussavi surfaced on a YouTube channel in which he made several claims about properties allegedly held by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in London.
He said that the issue surfaced in 2000 when an NRO was given to PML-N and PPP, putting the matter into cold storage. He revealed that the Broadsheet had been given a list of 200 people who illegally sent looted money abroad.
The information minister said that the committee will not only investigate the various points of the case but also determine how the national kitty was stolen and how a cousin of Nawaz Sharif contacted the UK firm for halting the probe after key discoveries.
According to Radio Pakistan, the minister said that the cabinet also approved a bill to enhance powers of the auditor general of Pakistan to ensure transparency. He said automation and digitization are being introduced in the working of the office of auditor general of Pakistan. He said issuance of cheques will be automated to prevent any kind of delay and fraud.
Syed Shibli Faraz said that the PTI government is vigorously working on institutional reforms and the cabinet decided to make these reforms public soon.
Talking about negative impact of the sale of smuggled petrol in Pakistan, the Minister said that a crackdown has started against petrol pumps involved in selling substandard smuggled petrol, which poses hazards not only to the environment, but also adversely impacts functionality of the vehicles.
He said the sale of smuggled petrol is inflicting a loss of around 180 billion rupees to the national exchequer. He said so far 192 petrol pumps have sealed for selling substandard smuggled oil. He said such petrol pumps have been directed to furnish record of their sale and purchase within one week. He said that 2090 petrol pumps have been identified across Pakistan that are involved in selling smuggled petrol.
The minister said that Planning Minister Asad Umar raised the incident of the death of Osama Satti in police firing for which Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his strong displeasure and annoyance over opening of fire by the police on a youth. He said that the Joint Investigation Committee formed to investigate killing of Osama Satti has presented its report to the interior secretary, but the Prime Minister expressed the resolve that new probe would be arranged if family members of the deceased youth is not satisfied with JIT’s findings. He said an inquiry will be organized to the satisfaction of Osama Satti’s family to take the culprits to the task.
He said the Prime Minister also instructed to formulate a policy in fifteen days to address shortage of wheat and other food items in the country.
