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Corrupt Pakistani official promoted ambassador - LRE - 07-23-2008 03:08 PM
Corrupt Pakistani official promoted ambassador
By Khalid Hasan
WASHINGTON: GR Baloch, who as Consul General of Pakistan in Houston, Texas, was identified through a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe as having issued a passport in exchange for money to an Indian terrorism suspect, instead of being proceeded against by the government of Pakistan, was promoted ambassador, and is currently serving in that capacity in Vietnam.
Under his charge, quite a few Pakistani passports were issued to non-Pakistani citizens in exchange for money. So organised was the racket at the Consulate General that there was actually a “rate card” listing fees for services required to be rendered. It is understood that the new government has ordered the entire case to be reopened and investigated. The embassy in Washington has been instructed by Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir to submit a detailed report of what went on at the Consulate during the Baloch years.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been inexplicably reluctant to computerise the consular services offered by Pakistani missions abroad, something that India has already done. Computerisation of records will eliminate the kind of fraud practised under Baloch and, allegedly, at several of Pakistan’s consular posts in other parts of the world.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C07%5C22%5Cstory_22-7-2008_pg7_75