Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently made a shocking statement and said that billions of dollars in illegal wealth have been moved from Pakistan to Portugal.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Asif said over half of Pakistan’s bureaucratic elite has bought property in Portugal using “black money.” He said many of them are now seeking residency or citizenship there as part of a secret plan to leave the country.
According to reports, Asif also said politicians are unfairly blamed for corruption, even though bureaucrats take the bigger share. “Politicians only get what is left over by them and still get blamed for everything,” he said, adding that most politicians do not own plots or foreign citizenship because they must face elections and answer to the public.
He further alleged that a senior bureaucrat, said to be close to former Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar, received Rs 4 billion in ceremonial gifts (known as ‘salami’) at his daughter’s wedding.
Calling their actions “shameful,” he added, “This bureaucracy is polluting our land.”
Reacting to Asif’s claims, Indian intelligence sources told
According to CNN-News18 report, this could be an example of elite asset laundering under diplomatic cover. Indian intelligence sources said that Portugal was chosen to avoid stricter monitoring by global bodies like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
According to them, the goal of this revelation may be to shift attention away from Pakistan’s military and intelligence officials and protect them from global sanctions.
ALSO READ: Why Is Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir Visiting US Again? Here’s What We Know So Far
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
