16
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani sports officials Monday rubbished claims by a British tabloid to have uncovered a visa scam that could have allowed potential terrorists into the Olympic Village.
The Sun tabloid said it had busted a racket involving a politician in the eastern city of Lahore that could have given access to the London Games as part of the Pakistani contingent in return for a million rupees ($10,000).
Pakistan's Olympic chef de mission Aqil Shah dismissed the Sun's claims.
“These are baseless reports,” Shah told AFP.
“This is an attempt to malign Pakistan. Even if someone gets a passport he cannot enter the Olympic Village without an Olympic accreditation card.”
The Sun said its undercover reporter was offered the chance to go to the Olympics posing as an official member of the Pakistani contingent on a two-month visa.
Pakistan's 39-strong delegation consists of 23 athletes and 16 officials.
Shah justified the number of officials.
“Hockey has at least six officials which are under the rules and then we have physicians and other coaches who are genuine members of Pakistan's contingent,” said Shah.
Pakistan Olympic Association chief Arif Hasan was already in London and discussing the matter with the Pakistan High Commission, said Shah.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (16) Closed
Jul 24, 2012 07:28am
Pl take seriously even if the report is wrong..............recheck inbuilt systems and controls..............
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 07:52am
Fully agreed with you Syed . In crickers case PCB CM BUTT went on offensive and tried to pull in English team too into the mud , later on his mud was splashed on his face as he withdrew the accusation and sort of oplogied too to ECB .
23 Playing hands and 16 officials is as per the reports Pakistan Squad consists off , Like our corrupt oversized Federal Cabnit and provisional cabnits ( full of corrupt incompetent people ) , these 16 officials are the reflection of the same trend . Even if 10% is true what sun has reportedly discovered , 1.6 of this oversized officials group could be those who paid 7000 or more pounds in Pakistani currency to get to UK .......... I will not be surprised to hear or read a report 2 weeks later , some of the Pakistani groups have vanished into the UK without a trace of them !!!! No one is ought to defame or bring Shame on Pakistan , Its we , ourselves , our elites our leaders ( sport board and nadra officials paid through Pakistani Tax payers money ) who are doing it deliberately and with full working mind
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 10:00am
Pakistans 39-strong delegation consists of 23 athletes and 16 officials. With Shah and a few more, the officials will out number the athletes (the ministers and their families are still waiting for a green signal for free rides).
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 01:13pm
Even if no country is free of corruption none tries to protect corrupt....In Pakistan every corrupt is doing well.
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 04:32am
Pakistan’s 39-strong delegation — consists of 23 athletes and 16 officials.
What a Ratio? More than 2 officials on every 3 athletes ? And many more to follow on official visits if by any chance our hockey team qualifies for the next round.
Bureaucracy or SPORTOCRACY ?
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 09:13am
Part of the reason Pakistan commands so little respect in the world of diplomacy and international relations is that the self-appointed custodians of the national interest are inveterate liars.
But the outside world is fully aware of the lies, and it does hurt Pakistan in ways perceptible and imperceptible.
Nobody believes it. Not the Americans, not the Europeans, not the Arabs, not even the Taliban. Mullah Zaeef has memorably said: “Pakistan … is so famous for treachery that it is said they can get milk from a bull. They have two tongues in one mouth, and two faces on one head so they can speak everybody’s language; they use everybody, deceive everybody.”
What was once an establishment in denial has become a country in denial. And where previously we were lying to outsiders, now we are lying to ourselves.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/09/30/lying-liars-and-th...
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 05:34am
Pakistans 39-strong delegation consists of 23 athletes and 16 officials.
Shah justified the number of officials.
More than 2 officials for every 3 athletes?
Bureaucracy or SPORTACRACY ?
Just overlook what others (Countries) are saying, listen and realize what the country is suffering from? We are a poor nation with half of the population is starving or under nourished. Please do not waste nation's wealth on a few favorite individuals.
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 05:51am
Ha ha ha...great joke... "Malign Pakistan" ?
What dignity is left for this country to get further maligned ?
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 05:56am
When tabliod said bowlers were paid, that was rubbish, when tabliod said kaneria was involved in recent event, that was rubbish too, when same tabliod says the above, it's rubbish. ofcourse it's rubbish, like the other 2 stories.
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 06:03am
If what the Sun Journalist says is false, then why is he not taken to court (especially after the video shots shown by some TV channels) by the Sports Ministry to prove themselves right.
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 08:36am
Malign Pakistan, Yes very true. There is no reason to believe in such nonsense news. This has become a modes ope- randy for the tabloids to post rubbish against Pakistan. It is not at all difficult for some tabloids to to buy few peoples to stage this drama. Pakistan should not pay any heed to such rubbish. No country is free of corruption and no country has the right to point finger unless that country is itself clean.
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 08:51am
Pakistans 39-strong delegation consists of 23 athletes and 16 officials. With Shah and a few more, the officials will out number the athletes (the ministers and their families are still waiting for a green signal for free rides).
We are a poor nation where more than half of the population is under nourished, please don't spend nation's wealth on personal luxuries.
Tabloids have always tried to malign our image, but could not succeed in the past. But now, with the current conditions in our country and corruption all over, their voice is heard and acknowledged. Whatever our Mr. Shah is trying to explain and defend, the suspension of NADRA staff and inquiries against others, shows that the news has at least some percentage of TRUTH in the whole scenario.
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 08:58am
As far as Pakistan is concerned, this is a country that is forever embroiled in scandal and controversy. Lying, cheating, and corruption are institutionalised and accepted to the extent from the President, PM to our cricketers who have all been known convicted criminals and fraudsters. Peope of Pakistan always prescribe to conspiracy theories and refuse to believe that the fault lies within in a highly dysfunctional and morally bankrupt society. The world is increasingly fed up with Pakistan for lies about harbouring terrorists, lies about match fixing, and lies about nuclear proliferation. Pakistan is the SHAME of the Islamic world and a SHAME to Jinnah's legacy!
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 04:56pm
C'mon man, this is the Sun...they sell sensationalism, not news! This was a perfect story to get eyeballs during the Olympics, truth be damned. Pakistan, unfortunately, is the world's punching bag now, thanks to its own disastrous foreign policy. I'd be pretty pissed if I were Pakistani. To be pushed around by a Rupert Murdoch rag, that is a new low. I don't think it is right for non-Pakistanis to pass this kind of a comment.
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 06:22pm
Yes Mr. Hussain, you are right. When the British media reported about our bowlers involvement in match fixing, then Mr. Hussain and people like him said the same words "There is no reason to believe in such non-sense news", when the crime of these bowlers were proved in British courts, there were no words from these people. Grow up Pakistani people open your eyes and admit that we all are liars, corrupt and cheats. Not fit to associate with human beings living in different countries. Not a day passes when I don't thank my creator for giving me a chance to leave "Napakistan" and live with civilized and decent human beings of another country.
Recommend
0
Jul 24, 2012 09:43pm
Speechless!What a shame 16 officials on a luxury trip to UK, with their familities and relatives.
Recommend
0
