My friends since yesterday NAB has launched a media campaign to defame
three of us ie retired Generals who ran PAK Railways during Musharraf
era and turned it round into a profitable and well run service. We are
being targeted as retired Generals by those who have an issue with
Musharraf but can not get to him. The case of royal palm briefly is as
under
This was a run down full of bushes railway Golf Course on lease to Mr
Ishaq Khakwani and his associates at Rs 12 per year. We cancelled this
lease and advertised it internationally for converting it to an
international standard Course with contractor,s investment. The
highest bidder was a consortium of Malaysian and Pakistani firms. The
new lease terms gets Railway Rs 5 crore per year increasing by 15 %
every year. Lease is for 49 years and the whole property belongs to
railway. The contractor had to spend approx Rs one billion to convert
it to what it is today. 11 years ago this lease charge was considered
a very good deal.
Mr Khakwani went to high court in 2001 against this deal but the case
was thrown out. He did not give up and through his friends in the
media mainly Rauf Klasra continued to malign me.
He and his friends kept taking this to 5 different committees of the
parliament without any thing adverse coming out. Now on a petition by
him the Chief Justice deceided to take suo moto notice . The trial was
held in 2010 and the judgement was reserved. After two years instead
of giving judgement he initially ordered a retrial but later asked NAB
to investigate . It may be pointed out that on a complaint the NAB
investigated and cleared it in 2003 but now again on orders by CJ they
have restarted the inquiry .The irony is that the petitioner Mr
Khakwani who demands that this now developed facility should be
reverted to him and his associates is not questioned by either NAB or
the CJ about the fabulous sum of Rs 12 per year lease. We are alleged
to have given it at less rates not even considering that at that time
Rs 5. crore per year is equivalent to Rs 15 crore at present value .
One had to take into account investment of almost a billion rupees to
develop this asset for PAK railways as a permanent source of income.
In those days of sanctions getting this foreign investment was seen as
a great achievement. Today after 12 years instead of appreciating that
this Railway which again today is sunk was recovered and converted
into a well run and profitable entity, we are being hounded as if we
have committed a crime. If this is a reward for working hard and
honestly for your country, then who would stick his neck out.
Meanwhile everyone is sitting on the sideline and watching retired
Generals being targeted through suo motos. We have not done anything
wrong and no evidence of any corruption was produced in the court nor
was it alleged by any one. However the witch hunt continues .
