ISLAMABAD: Former auditor general of Pakistan was sentenced to one year in prison by a court on Monday for concealing his dual nationality.
The prosecution presented evidence confirming that Buland Akhtar Rana was also a Canadian national. Senior civil Judge Mohammad Shabbir handed down the punishment of one year in jail to Rana. The former auditor general was later taken into custody and shifted to Adiala Jail.
The federal government had sacked Rana in 2015 after the Supreme Judicial Council found him guilty of misconduct.
This was the first time in Pakistan’s history that a complaint filed in the SJC sought the disqualification of an AGP. It was also just the second time the council gave its opinion to the president on any reference, filed under Article 209 of the constitution. The council had earlier decided one reference, citing the ouster of a judge, in 1971.
In 2014, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report had revealed Rana withdrew Rs 4.62 million from the national exchequer in excess of his salary and privileges in violation of rules and regulations.
There were also complaints against his unsanctioned foreign visits, his four different passports (three Pakistani and one Canadian) and for him availing long leaves to complete residence requirements in Canada for immigration purposes, along with allegations of abuse of power.
After the initiation of the inquiry, Rana had challenged the authority of parliament and refused to attend PAC meetings. The FIA filed a case against Rana for obtaining five Pakistani passports while still holding a Canadian passport.
The immigration and passport’s deputy director (policy) confirmed that Rana had ‘never declared his other nationality’. Rana was holding a Canadian passport, which constitutes an offence under Section 6 of the Passport Act of 1974.
Published in Daily Times, August 1st , 2017.
