Corruption Of Army Generals

Corruption of Pakistan Army Generals

Who says our Army Generals are free of corruption. At present only General Musharraf and his team members (other generals) can claim this. But the fact is totally different and these Army generals who are unable to perform their original job which is to defend the country are actually involved in big money scams. Infact Pakistan Army is now being called an Army of Property Dealers. Military corruption has reached unbelievable levels as a proof of which following description is given from a recent article in Dawn newspaper. 

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One hundred and eleven army men got 400 plots in Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan districts at throwaway prices --Rs 47.50 per kanal (1/8th of an acre) as against the market rate of Rs15,000-20,000. Six respondents got 400 kanals in Punjab, while former NAB chairman Lt Gen Mohammad Amjad was allotted a two-kanal plot on Sarwar Road in Lahore for just Rs 8,00,000, payable in instalments over 20 years. The market value of this plot was Rs 2 crore. Gen Pervez Musharraf acquired a commercial plot worth Rs 2 crore at the Defence Housing Authority in Lahore for just Rs 1,00,000, payable in 20 years. "As mentioned in the report of defence services director-general, a loss of Rs 5 billion was incurred due to such allotments" . The army awarded a contract for the purchase of 1,000 Hino trucks at $40,000 a unit when the local Gandhara Industries had offered trucks of the same specification for $25,000 a piece. In the purchase of 3,000 Land Rovers in 1995, army officials allegedly received around Rs20,00,000 as kickbacks. Air Chief Marshal Abbas Khattak (retired) received Rs180 million as kickbacks in the purchase of 40 old Mirage fighters. Air Chief Marshal Farooq Feroz Khan was suspected of receiving a 5 per cent commission in the purchase of 40 F-7 planes worth $271 million. In 1996, the Pakistan Army bought 1,047 GS-90 Jeeps at a cost of $20,889 per unit. The market value of the vehicle then was only $13,000. According to the National Accountability Bureau, some senior army officers made Rs 510 million in the deal. The army management at the Water and Power Development Authority purchased electric meters at Rs 1,050 a piece against the market price of Rs 456, causing a loss of Rs 165 crore to the national exchequer. A former military regime sold the Pak-Saudi Fertilizers for Rs 700 crore and earned a Rs 200 crore commission on the deal. In 1996, the Pakistan Navy spent Rs 1.3 crore on installing air-conditioners at the Islamabad Golf Club without any justification.

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Many road contracts were given to Hasnain Construction Company without any public tenders by the recently removed railways and communication minister, General Qazi. The company, owned by a relative of Gen Musharraf's son, was also awarded the lease of prime real estate in Lahore for the construction of a golf course under the frontmanship of Palm Country Golf Club, Singapore. Prime commercial land developed by the DHA, Karachi, was leased at dirtcheap rates to a McDonald's franchisee outlet operated by Amin Lakhani by the then corps commander, Karachi, Lt Gen Afzal Janjua.

After all this one should have no doubt in mind that the claim of General Musharraf that present government is free of corruption is baseless.