CJP inquires about Rs 3bn sent to Dubai, UAE to buy properties

LONDON: Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar said that those who looted Pakistan and sent money abroad will be held accountable, adding that he will not have to ask anyone for donations for dams if the looted money is utilised for the purpose.

CJP Nisar was speaking to Geo Television’s Live Global Telethon from Manchester, which raised £2.3 million in donations – the biggest ever amount raised since the start of the top judge’s appeal for dam construction.

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s advisor and friend Aneel Musarrat organised the event at the Seridan Suite, which was attended by more than 1500 people. Geo News show ‘Capital Talk’ anchor and renowned journalist Hamid Mir hosted the event. He was joined on the stage for the four-hour long transmission by Naeem Bukhari, boxer Amir Khan and British Pakistani community in Manchester including Aneel Musarrat, Riz Khan, Anjum Majeed, Bilal Maqsood and many others.

At the occasion, the CJP questioned how come nearly three billion rupees were transferred out of Pakistan to buy properties in UAE and Dubai. The CJP didn’t name anyone but asked: “How did you make property worth three billion rupees in Dubai and UAE and how did this money go out of Pakistan? You will have to provide answers for that. All that money belongs to the people of Pakistan. That money belongs to Pakistani taxpayers. You will have to spend it on Pakistan. That money will be used for the dam construction and I will not have to ask anyone for money in this regard.”

The Chief Justice also announced his plans to launch an awareness campaign for family planning. The top judge said that the campaign would raise awareness about the importance of having small families and the drive would kick-start from December 12 or 13.

“I will start the campaign from my own family,” he said, adding that he would advise his children about the significance of small family. Keeping in mind that this is a sensitive matter for our society, the CJP hoped that the public will show full support and cooperation for the campaign.

According to the recent census, Pakistan has a population of over 200.77 million and is the sixth most populous country in the world. In the 80s, the government started an awareness campaign titled ‘Bache do he achay’, however, going on for 20 years that campaign ended in a failure due to sensitivity of the issue.

He said: “In my remaining tenure, I will start another campaign. Our resources are shrinking. Our population has exploded. In 30 years we will have 45 crore population, look at our educational and health needs, our water crisis and other issues. The supreme court we will start population control campaign. We could have started it on December 5 but Prime Minister Imran Khan is busy on that day but we will now start it on December 12.”

The top judge reminded of the 80s famous slogan and urged his own unmarried children not to have more than two kids.

Justice Saqib Nisar said he was first alarmed by reports of a looming water crisis in Pakistan during the hearing of a case involving dirty water in Karachi and generally in Sindh. Then soon afterwards, the CJP went to Quetta for a case where the issue arose during his meeting with former Balochistan chief ministers Dr Muhammad Malik and Sanaullah Zehri.

He declared the project is a national patriotic duty and exhorted British Pakistanis to help build two dams.

The Chief Justice said he was deterred by the idea of going out in the public and asking for donations but then decided not to care for what the critics say or feel as “we are a nation short of resources and water is life, its linked with life and our future generations will have nothing if we don’t have enough water and I decided to do my bit”.

The top judge shared that he has been disappointed in some of the most influential, privileged and important people of Pakistan who could have donated big sums for the dams but they didn’t. He said those who are privileged should know that they are now here because of Pakistan.

He shared stories of ordinary people, kids, women and disadvantaged who have been a tremendous source of inspiration and went out of their way to help him raise the money. Justice Nisar said that a group of children sold their toys and gave him Rs6000 for the dam funds and a young child gave him coins of five rupees. He said it’s the ordinary people who have inspired him to collect money for dams.