Reference filed against Pakistan's former ambassador for selling embassy buildings in Jakarta at 'throwaway price'

The reference stated that the accused person sold the embassy building in Jakarta without following the rules and regulations and even without having prior approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reports The Nation.

It is maintained further in the reference that the said tainted deal caused a loss of US $1.32 million which is equal to 13.45 billion Indonesian rupees to the public exchequer, reported the Pakistani newspaper.

The accused was appointed as an envoy to Indonesia during the regime of former president Pervez Musharraf.

The investigations revealed that he had started a process of disposing of the government properties in Jakarta soon after his appointment in 2001, reports The Nation.

According to the reference, former ambassador Major General Retired Syed Mustafa Anwar Hussain repeatedly exerted pressure on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allow him to sell the building.

“He without having any authority entered into a contract and sold the buildings against 12.5 billion Indonesian rupees”, the reference said.

In its report, The News International said the NAB’s latest reference filed against a former ambassador to Indonesia Major General (retd) Syed Mustafa Anwar for alleged selling the Pakistani Embassy building in Jakarta at "a throwaway price" during 2001-02, ignored General (retd) Musharraf for protecting the ex-envoy and victimising the Foreign Office senior official who had pointed out the wrong. 

The newspaper said it reported the scam in 2002-03 but instead of proceeding against the ex-envoy, General Musharraf had transferred back and suspended the officer who had complained to the Foreign Office of the alleged fraud.

Gen Musharraf not only kept the officer an OSD till his retirement in 2007-08 but also gave a further extension to Major General (retd) Syed Mustafa Anwar. The retired Maj General was said to be a relative of Musharraf’s wife.