Khawaja Asif’s Portugal allegation stirs bureaucratic backlash

ISLAMABAD: A statement by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, alleging that more than half of Pakistan’s bureaucrats have acquired property in Portugal and are preparing to obtain its citizenship, has triggered strong reactions within the civil bureaucracy and from relevant government institutions.

In a post shared from his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Khawaja Asif accused bureaucrats of amassing billions in corruption, citing an example of a former close aide to ex-Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar who allegedly received Rs4 billion as salami during his daughters’ weddings. The minister claimed such officials are now leading comfortable retired lives while politicians merely survive on their leftovers, with no access to foreign citizenships due to electoral obligations.

However, when approached, sources in the Establishment Division and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the two key institutions responsible for civil service discipline and accountability, have said they have no knowledge or evidence supporting the defence minister’s claims.

“There is no record or intelligence available with the Establishment Division to suggest that more than half of the country’s bureaucracy has purchased property in Portugal or is pursuing foreign citizenship,” a senior official from the Division said.

A NAB source also confirmed: “We are unaware of any such findings. No such cases or investigations are on our radar that correspond with the minister’s sweeping allegations.” Observers were unable to figure out why Khawaja Asif’s had made a categorical claim in his tweet.

A senior government official noted, “The minister’s tweet has caused widespread resentment within the civil bureaucracy. It undermines morale and sends a wrong message to public servants.”

The Establishment Division source clarified that the bureaucrat linked to Usman Buzdar, indirectly referenced in Asif’s post, had already been dismissed from service with the prime minister’s approval, and disciplinary action had been taken based on formal inquiry procedures.

While officials acknowledge that corruption exists within the bureaucracy and that some elements may have abused their positions, they maintain that branding “more than half” of the service as corrupt is highly exaggerated and not grounded in facts. “Accountability must be evidence-based and pursued through proper channels,” a senior bureaucrat said. “If the minister had credible information, he should have approached the prime minister or relevant agencies like NAB and Establishment Division, rather than making such claims on social media.”