Half of bureaucracy have purchased property in Portugal: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has strongly criticised the country’s bureaucracy, claiming that more than half of its members have bought properties in Portugal and are preparing to acquire citizenship there.

In a statement on social media platform X, Asif alleged that several well-known bureaucrats are investing in Portugal as part of their plans to eventually settle abroad. He accused them of planning a comfortable retirement using money made through corruption. He also alleged that one bureaucrat, known to be close to former chief minister Usman Buzdar, received Rs4bn in Salami alone at his daughters wedding. In comparison, the defence minister said politicians are treated unfairly. “Politicians only get what is left over by them (bureaucrats) and still get blamed for everything,” he said, adding that most politicians do not own plots or foreign citizenship because they have to face the public and contest elections. Calling the actions of these bureaucrats shameful, Asif said, “This bureaucracy is polluting our land.”