Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has questioned the loyalty of the country’s senior bureaucrats. It has alleged that many government officials had arranged to settle abroad while holding important posts in Pakistan. According to Asif, such officials planned to make Canada, America, Britain and other European countries their permanent residence. He also claimed that in recent years, Portugal has emerged as a prime destination for Pakistani bureaucrats to settle abroad.

According to a report by Pakistani newspaper ‘Express Tribune’, Khawaja Asif raised the issue through a post on social media platform X. He said there was no dearth of capable and honest bureaucrats in Pakistan, but the plans of some officials to settle abroad raised questions about their loyalty to the country.

Allegedly preparing to settle abroad while in government employment

Khawaja Asif alleged that some officials had planned to go abroad while working in the Pakistan government. According to him, this was not a sudden decision, but in some cases, it was prepared in advance. He claimed that such officials are taking advantage of the country’s facilities and honors while holding government posts, while on the other hand they are paving the way for permanent settlement abroad.

Referring to Portugal, the Defense Minister said that many Pakistani bureaucrats have settled there in recent years. He said that he had raised this issue on social media a few months ago. According to Asif, the officials whose names have come up in this case have held important positions in the government system and have also been close to different governments.

Accused of extorting money in the name of permanent residence

Asif also leveled serious allegations against a person involved in the arrangement to settle abroad. He claimed that the man had extorted huge sums of money from several influential bureaucrats and then absconded. However, the defense minister did not make the identity of this person public. He also did not say how many officials were extorted or the total amount involved in the case.

However, neither the name of any official nor any concrete evidence came out in Asif’s statement. So at present these allegations are limited to the defense minister’s claim. The report did not provide information about the reaction of the concerned authorities or any official investigation in the matter.