Seeking uplift funds: MPs signatures being forged

Senate committee to discuss misuse of Balochistan lawmakers’ stationery.

ISLAMABAD: The Senate standing committee on rules of procedure and privileges will take up the issue of misuse of lawmakers’ official stationery, particularly in the case of requests for releasing funds for non-existent development schemes.

The committee will consider a privilege motion moved by Senator Mir Wali Muhammad Badini on October 1 last year, wherein he informed the upper house of parliament that an unknown man applied to the ministry of local government and rural development for the release of Rs10 million using the senator’s forged signature, letterpad and stamp.

According to the agenda of the committee available with The Express Tribune, Director-General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would brief members of the committee on the trend of forging of signatures of Balochistan Assembly lawmakers and fake development schemes.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Badini said there were several instances of forging of signatures of lawmakers from Balochistan whose stamps and letterpads were being misused by unknown persons.

“If criminals misuse legislatures’ authority for issuance of development funds to run their illegal businesses, where does a layman go for justice,” Badini said.

“It is strongly recommended that a development grant of Rs10 million may kindly be approved and allocated on priority, so that development schemes may be incorporated as per allocation of funds,” says a letter drafted on Badini’s stationery and addressed to the ministry of rural development for the release of funds for development schemes in Nushki district of Balochistan. Badini has disowned the letter.

FIA sources say an investigation team of the agency visited district Nushki, Badin, Ziarat and Quetta in Balochistan to collect evidence regarding the fake development schemes in the province.

Meanwhile, the committee will also consider a privilege motion moved by Senator Azam Khan Swati on November 26 last year regarding the allegations levelled by former human rights minister Ansar Burni against Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Burni alleged that Fazl had “connections” with the Pakistani Taliban, and should “not be allowed to enter UK”, in a letter addressed to the British home secretary.

JUI-F leader Abdul Ghafoor Haidri asked Burni to appear before the committee and explain his statement.

“If Mr Burni does not appear before the committee, then legal action will be taken against him,” Haidri said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st,  2011.