Zardari allegedly made big money in sub-marine sale

[HasanG20]

PARIS: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is suspected of having received millions of dollars in kickbacks from the 1994 sale of three French submarines to the Pakistani Navy, a French daily reported.

In addition, investigators believe that the non-payment of the full amount of the agreed kickbacks may have led to the deaths of 11 French nationals in a 2002 terror attack in the city of Karachi.

The report says the French daily acquired documents that allegedly show that Zardari received 4.3 million dollars in kickbacks from the sale of three Agosta 90 submarines for 825 million euros (currently 1.237 billion dollars).

The documents were sent to the Pakistani National Accountability Bureau (NAB) by British authorities in April 2001 and indicate that Zardari received several large payments into his Swiss bank accounts from a Lebanese businessman, Abdulrahman el-Assir, in 1994 and 1995.

According to a former executive of the French naval defence company DCN, French authorities chose el-Assir to act as intermediary in the deal. He allegedly deposited a total of 1.3 million dollars in Zardari’s bank accounts between August 15 and 30, 1994, one month before the submarine contract was signed, and then 1.2 million dollars and 1.8 million dollars one year later.

According to DCN employees who testified in the terror attack investigation, the kickbacks to Pakistan in the deal totalled 10 per cent of the purchase amount, with 6 per cent, or 49.5 million dollars, going to the military and 4 per cent, or 33 million euros, being funneled to political circles.

[vinod2070]

In addition, investigators believe that the non-payment of the full amount of the agreed kickbacks may have led to the deaths of 11 French nationals in a 2002 terror attack in the city of Karachi.

So that would be GOP of the time in the dock? Who was blamed at the time?

According to DCN employees who testified in the terror attack investigation, the kickbacks to Pakistan in the deal totalled 10 per cent of the purchase amount, with 6 per cent, or 49.5 million dollars, going to the military and 4 per cent, or 33 million euros, being funneled to political circles.

So it's just not the politicians! The military is the bigger sinner here.

[Mastankhan]

Hi,

There are two ways to look at this issue. Zardari took the money---the order was kept afloat---we have the submarines---zardari is still available---he can be prosecuted---but we also have an extremely potent weapons system in ouir arsenal---the agosta subs.

It is a win win situation for pak---possibly a loss of 20---30 million dollars---a big deal---I very much doubt it.

A second scenario----the old Mirage 2k issue---the order is placed---there is a rumour of kickbacks and under the table dealings---the order is cancelled---no more Mirage 2k's for pakistan---a major major setback for PAF and the defence of pakistan---pakistan air force is in tatters---pak defence is in shambles---PAF is about 10 to fifteen years behind the opponent.

But that is not the major issue---the issue is the warmongering attitude of the opponent---threat of war in the air constantly---extremely aggressive overtures by the opponent---.

So---for maybe 50 million dollars extra money our air force would have been at par with 80% of the opponents airforce today..

Now we will have to spend about 5 to 10 billion dollars to be at 80% par with our opponent.

So, what do you people think---was it a bad decision to outrightly cancel the contract on just emotional basis.

Zardari has not run away anywhere. he can be persecuted in due time---but the time and oppurtunity lost cannot be brought back. What do you think?

[ThunderOmniRole]

Originally Posted by Mastankhan

A second scenario----the old Mirage 2k issue---the order is placed---there is a rumour of kickbacks and under the table dealings---the order is cancelled---no more Mirage 2k's for pakistan---a major major setback for PAF and the defence of pakistan---pakistan air force is in tatters---pak defence is in shambles---PAF is about 10 to fifteen years behind the opponent.

But that is not the major issue---the issue is the warmongering attitude of the opponent---threat of war in the air constantly---extremely aggressive overtures by the opponent---.

So---for maybe 50 million dollars extra money our air force would have been at par with 80% of the opponents airforce today..

Now we will have to spend about 5 to 10 billion dollars to be at 80% par with our opponent.

So, what do you people think---was it a bad decision to outrightly cancel the contract on just emotional basis.

Zardari has not run away anywhere. he can be persecuted in due time---but the time and oppurtunity lost cannot be brought back. What do you think?

I am glad that some of my sentiments hit home with you and struck a chord on the other forum. This side of the debate and this angle of the spectrum is never carefully examined logically. One of the biggest blunders in PAF acquisition history is explained away by so called experts that it was because of bribery and scandal PAF was left lacking in the air. Kickbacks and hanky panky are an entrenched culture in any major arms procurement. Someone is going to dip their hands in honey. It is better for national defence that open accusations and derailing gestures with regards to kickbacks or under the table dealings as well as all other self flagellating nonsense be thrown out the door next time opportunities arise. Let the deal go through and feel free to use the law of the land to indict the crooks later and get the money back. We don't live in a utopia or perfect world to keep shooting our small feet with shotgun shells. Open your eyes, wolves are looking at us with a sick depraved hunger in their eyes and we are trying to be Ummah leader and Shariat implementer when we should be advanced weaponry stockpiler, technology hoarder and fear distributor, a dire holocaust awaiting for any threat. Currently we are left as a mix between a chicken with its head cut off running in circles and a beggar on the street who spent his early years as an orphan... with respects to defense, strength projection and geo-strategic and political depth.

PS - I'm not here to stay for the debate, this will be my only post. I am not interested in voicing my opinions on Pakistan anymore, having been treated badly by admin of 2 popular defence fora, where my nationalist and logical rants were stifled and I was symbolically executed (banned), stabbed in the back by my own people, and watched Indian trolls and other derailers carry on with their agendas. I am a proud person with illustrious family history and achievements, we don't like preaching to stones living in stone ages, trying to act modern and secular by allowing garbage against one's nation to be spewed but putting a boot in good people's faces for honest opinion, valid criticism or untouched reality. I only got excited to see Mastan Khan pick up on a relevant and overlooked tangent that I brought up a few weeks ago.

[ThunderOmniRole]

PPS - French are proving to not be a cakewalk with regards to weapons procurement, Pakistan is starting to find cold shoulders from the Germans and now French, not a coincidence. French security establishment still have a big score to settle regarding their engineers who were murdered by ISI operatives in Karachi back in 2002. The case regarding this incident is a farcical Pakistani stage drama. This is all I care to share about the topic here but it is a clearly linked example to kickbacks in defense arena and shooting our feet off with large caliber bullets.