LAHORE: Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman of the Lahore High Court (LHC), on a petition challenging the sale of Pakistani assets in Indonesia and Japan, has issued notices to the attorney general of Pakistan and others for January 18.

The judge, while issuing the notices, observed that it would be appropriate that the respondents were heard at the preliminary stage. The notices are issued to the Pakistan ambassadors to Indonesia and Japan, former ambassador to Indonesia Maj Gen ® Mustafa Anwar Hussain, former ambassador to Japan Kamran Niaz, former defence attaché to Indonesia Colonel Khalid Mahmood, former first secretary in Tokyo Asghar Ali Golo and to the chief executive of the Universal Metal Corporation, Japan and director Aisha Steel Mills, Karachi.

A columnist Dr Qaiser Rashid has moved this petition. The petitioner submitted that Daily Times published a new report by Tahir Niaz on April 28, 2010 that Musharraf sold gifted property for at very low prices.

According to the report, Maj Gen ® Hussain misused his authority as envoy and sold the embassy and residence of the ambassador on throwaway prices on February 18, 2002 and allegedly fetched huge financial kickbacks in the deal.

This property had been gifted by Indonesian president Soekarno to Pakistan, but was sold under the pretext of a directive issued by Musharraf.

The petitioner said the Pakistani embassy and ambassador’s residence in Japan, constructed on 2249.16 square metres, was also sold on throwaway price in 2007.

He said to justify the sale a newsletter was issued stating, “Soon after assuming the office, president Musharraf issued instructions that with a view to curtail huge expenditure on rentals, the government should purchase or acquire offices and residences for our missions abroad.”