September 19, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 18, 1429

MUZAFFARABAD, Sept 18: Believe it or not, a gentleman is enjoying the rare privilege of ‘state guest’ in Azad Jammu and Kashmir for nearly three months without a specific government order, thanks to the generosity of Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan at the taxpayers’ cost.

According to sources, the S&GAD was directed by the Prime Minister’s secretariat in the third week of June to provide a chauffeured vehicle and other facilities to Ali Adnan Ibrahim, a Doctor of Juridical Sciences (SJD) candidate in an American university, as an “interim arrangement” until a formal order was issued in this regard.

The formal order was issued after a few days on June 23 by the S&GAD, declaring Mr Ibrahim, adjunct professor of law, Georgetown University Law Centre, as state guest during his visit to Muzaffarabd.

Interestingly, the order used the word ‘visit’ but ever since his arrival in Pakistan and subsequent stay in Islamabad, Mr Ibrahim is in fulltime possession of official vehicle which he has also been driving to other cities and claiming its fuel cost.

Initially, Mr Ibrahim was provided with a Toyota Corolla car (MD GA-235) but that was lately replaced with an up-model saloon (MD GA-430) on the directives of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, sources said.

The first car was withdrawn after two months by some of the concerned officials “presuming that the validity of the order stood expired” but they had to eat humble pie after receiving fresh directions to immediately provide Mr Ibrahim another vehicle, better than the earlier one, sources added.

“The transport wing of S&GAD has spent nearly Rs75,000 on his fuel expenditure alone during the first two months some of which was given to him in cash,” one source said.

The wear and tear of vehicles in his use and TA/DA of drivers are in addition to those expenditures, he added.

Other expenses, such as boarding and lodging, food and beverages in any of the leading hotels in Muzaffarabad were being paid by the protocol wing, the sources said.

According to the sources, Mr Ibrahim has also been keeping the vouchers/receipts of his stay in other cities as well as the fuel “purchased by him from his pocket” for reimbursement from the exchequer.

“Though the S&GAD has not fulfilled his desire but given the kindness of the prime minister, he may get this amount from any other official head,” the sources said.

When questioned that what services Mr Ibrahim had rendered which qualified him for such an unusual favour, Prime Minister’s Principal Staff Officer Arshad Mahmood Abbasi could not give a clear reply.

“He is working on a hydel project,” he said initially and then added: “He is working on policy framework on hydropower generation.”

Interestingly, the AJK Hydro Electric Board was completely unaware if any person was preparing any such policy framework draft, something which falls in the purview of the federal government. Government officials here were also surprised at such a long term of any ‘state guest.”

“The word guest itself suggests someone who visits you for some days or weeks but not for months. In 20 years of my service I have not seen someone accorded the status of state guest for months,” remarked an officer, requesting anonymity.

Though Mr Ibrahim introduces himself as adjunct professor in Georgetown University (2007-08), his name, however, does not figure when searched through the university’s directory

.