It has been reported in a section of the press that the National Police Foundation Management allotted three plots (357-358/ O-9 and 411/E-11) in their two schemes (O-9 and E-11, Islamabad) to Mr Shaukat Aziz, former Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Pakistan and his family as overseas Pakistanis.
The National Police Foundation was established to look after the welfare of the serving and retired police personnel and their families. Only police officials are entitled to benefit from the schemes of NPF. The management of the foundation should explain: a) circumstance of allotment of plots to Mr Shaukat Aziz and his family; b) how many overseas Pakistanis were allotted plots in these schemes; c) was the administration committee headed by secretary interior taken into confidence at the time of allotment of plots to non-police officials by the managing director of the foundation?
As regards the subject of welfare of overseas Pakistanis, the government established the Overseas Pakistani Foundation (OPF) under the Ministry of Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis (LM &OP). Now this Ministry has been bifurcated into Labour and Manpower Divisions and the subject of welfare of overseas Pakistanis has been allocated to Manpower Division. Mr Jamali is the current Managing Director of OPF, which was headed by Mr Shahid Rafi, a DMG officer, about a decade ago. I also served as Joint Secretary, Ministry of LM &OP briefly then. There should be no confusion over the roles of NPF and OPF. Our people are simple and gullible, no doubt, but it is the duty of the press to inform and educate them. The ruling elite should not take the simple people for a ride.
The current Interior Secretary is advised to make public record of allotments in NPF Housing Schemes in Islamabad. He is a bold bureaucrat, I am sure he will not be afraid of including names of former VVIPs/ VIPs in the list of allottees.
According to its mission statement, it is the duty of MOI to make Pakistan a country where rule of law reigns supreme.
ASGHAR MAHMOOD
Islamabad
