http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect...lands-from-frying-pan-into-the-fire-05-sal-05
ISLAMABAD: A federal minister, reprimanded by the PPP high command for using non-parliamentary language against a woman parliamentarian on a TV talk show, has now been accused of being involved in human trafficking.
Federal Minister for Population Welfare Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan of the PPP has been accused of tampering her Nadra records by adding two boys and one girl as her siblings and helping them in securing visas for Italy. The three are now in Italy.
Initially, she expressed ignorance of the case, but later put the blame on one of the staff working for her when she was a parliamentary secretary in the PML-Q government. She has switched over to the Peoples Party because of differences with leaders of her former party.
Nadra officials claim that no changes could be made in the records of Form-B without personal appearance of a registered citizen.
The form contains complete information of family members.
'One of my staffers is involved in the scam and I have already registered a complaint against him,' Ms Awan told DawnTV.
She also denied receiving a cheque for Rs0.5 million which was issued in her name by a travel agent, Tahir.
According to sources at the Federal Investigating Agency, which is investigating the scandal, the FIA took up the issue at its own and Ms Awan never registered a complaint in this regard.
PPP sources said that Ms Awan was about to lose her ministry after allegedly using un-parliamentary language against the woman legislator, but managed to secure it after offering an apology over the incident.
'This time story is altogether different and if it is proved that she was directly involved in human trafficking, the party will have no other option but to expel her,' they added.
A PML-N MNA, Haji Pervez, was recently forced to resign when his involvement was proved in an examination scandal.
'A similar action could not also be ruled in this (Ms Awans) case,' the PPP sources said.
When Farahnaz Ispahani, spokesperson for PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, was contacted for comments on the development, she promised to get back after some time but did reply to any call when this scribe repeatedly tried to contact her again.
ISLAMABAD: A federal minister, reprimanded by the PPP high command for using non-parliamentary language against a woman parliamentarian on a TV talk show, has now been accused of being involved in human trafficking.
Federal Minister for Population Welfare Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan of the PPP has been accused of tampering her Nadra records by adding two boys and one girl as her siblings and helping them in securing visas for Italy. The three are now in Italy.
Initially, she expressed ignorance of the case, but later put the blame on one of the staff working for her when she was a parliamentary secretary in the PML-Q government. She has switched over to the Peoples Party because of differences with leaders of her former party.
Nadra officials claim that no changes could be made in the records of Form-B without personal appearance of a registered citizen.
The form contains complete information of family members.
'One of my staffers is involved in the scam and I have already registered a complaint against him,' Ms Awan told DawnTV.
She also denied receiving a cheque for Rs0.5 million which was issued in her name by a travel agent, Tahir.
According to sources at the Federal Investigating Agency, which is investigating the scandal, the FIA took up the issue at its own and Ms Awan never registered a complaint in this regard.
PPP sources said that Ms Awan was about to lose her ministry after allegedly using un-parliamentary language against the woman legislator, but managed to secure it after offering an apology over the incident.
'This time story is altogether different and if it is proved that she was directly involved in human trafficking, the party will have no other option but to expel her,' they added.
A PML-N MNA, Haji Pervez, was recently forced to resign when his involvement was proved in an examination scandal.
'A similar action could not also be ruled in this (Ms Awans) case,' the PPP sources said.
When Farahnaz Ispahani, spokesperson for PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, was contacted for comments on the development, she promised to get back after some time but did reply to any call when this scribe repeatedly tried to contact her again.
