ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday said that recovery of more than Rs 730 million from the residence of Balochistan Finance Secretary Mushtaq Ahmed Raisani is worst example of corruption.
While strongly criticizing the Balochistan finance secretary, Qureshi said that the one who was supposed to protect the resources of the province was busy in looting public wealth. He said that PTI is committed to eliminate corruption from the society.
Earlier, The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recovered more than Rs 730 million from the residence of Balochistan Finance Secretary Mushtaq Ahmed Raisani, who was arrested on Friday.
Raisani has been accused of embezzling billions of rupees from local government development funds, a senior NAB official, who did not want to be named, told Daily Times.
NAB recovered bags filled with local and foreign currency from Raisani’s residence. Sources said that according to initial count around Rs 730 million worth of currency and prize bonds have been recovered from the serving bureaucrat’s residence.
Raisani was arrested during a raid at his office in the civil secretariat on Friday. The finance department was sealed during the raid while officials searched all rooms to sift through records, sources said, adding that records of the finance department were also seized for further investigation.
Raisani, an influential bureaucrat in Balochistan, has served as the secretary finance for the last few years. He served in same position during the Pakistan People’s Party government’s term. After a string of arrests in Sindh, this is the first high profile arrest made by the accountability body in Balochistan during the Pakistan Muslim League-N government’s term as it seeks to unearth corruption worth billions of rupees in the provincial finance department’s development funds.
“More arrests are likely after interrogation of the secretary,” an official told, seeking anonymity. After the episode, Balochistan government announced suspension of Mushtaq Raisani in a late night notification. The notification explains that the secretary finance was suspended following his arrest by NAB.
The Balochistan government spokesperson told media that the provincial government will fully co-operate with NAB during investigation against Raisani. On the other hand, Adviser to Chief Minister on Finance, Khalid Langau has resigned from his post following Raisani’s arrest.
Mir Khalid Langau said that he is resigning for a man from his department is facing such grave allegations of corruption and foul play, which does not morally allow him to stay in his post. He however clarified that he is not facing any inquiry nor has been any allegation levelled against him.
