Pak counter-terror funds used for gifts: Report

Former officials of Pakistan's Interior Ministry and its subordinate departments used a secret counter-terrorism fund for arranging foreign trips, paying utility bills in millions and sending gifts to big guns and close relatives, a media report today said.
Hardly a single penny of the secret fund allocated to National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) was used for curbing terrorism as a glance through documents indicates its massive abuse, it said.
Around Rs 500 million secret fund was earmarked for NCMC that has gone unaccounted as the lion's share was spent by officials on salaries of the contingent staff hired to oblige friends and family relatives, The News daily reported.

No audit has been ordered of Rs 480 million secret fund, handed over to the Ministry in 2008 by the Intelligence Bureau.
Pocket money of officials and charges for tailoring clothes was also being paid through the NCMC's secret fund.
Even mail charges of Rs 170 each TCS dispatched to two leaders were paid through this fund, the daily reported citing official documents.

Former interior minister Rehman Malik dismissed the news report as "baseless".
"I as a minister had never used any such funds and I offer myself for accountably and will quit politics if any misuse of funds is proven," Malik tweeted.

He added, "Some powerful people in government have started a campaign because of old vendetta against me. It has been accelerated after my anti-Taliban drive."
Malik said the news report was an "attempt to defame me". "Hang me if proven right," he said.
The daily reported that the secret fund was also used for gifts at the marriage ceremonies of the sons of top officials; rent for the car of two leaders, and flower/sweet /donation to a Pir were financed through this fund.
Whether there was a wedding ceremony of son or nephews of top officials, gifts like wrist watches, gold sets, expensive carpets, sweets and flower bouquets, all items were purchased from counter-terrorism funds, it said.