Islamabad, Sept 5 : One of the first cousins of former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf received a sum of 88,579 British Pounds (Rs 12.4 million approx) after he was appointed adviser to the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) in London, the National Assembly was told last evening.

In a written reply to a question, Pakistan Education Minister gave the details of payments from Pakistani taxpayers’ money to the cousin of Musharraf who lives in Cambridge and is regularly receiving 4000 pounds per month from the HEC.

Even after the departure of Musharraf from the political scene, his cousin Prof Haroon Ahmed continues to get 4000 pounds per month from the Government of Pakistan while sitting at home in Cambridge, UK, in the name of his role as an adviser to Dr Attaur Rehman, who is still working as the chairman of the HEC, The News quoted the Education Minister as saying in his reply.

During the question-hour, the federal minister for education gave the written details of payments from Pakistani taxpayers’ money to the cousin of Musharraf who lives in Cambridge and is regularly receiving 4000 pounds per month from the HEC.

The Education Minister gave these details in reply to a question from MNA Khalida Mansoor who had asked the government to confirm whether Prof Haroon was appointed as an adviser in the HEC in 2006 and, if so, what was his salary package and the responsibilities assigned to him. The questioner had also sought the name of the university where Prof Haroon had been posted along with the amount paid to him so far.

Recently, during the course of audit of accounts of the HEC the office of Auditor General of Pakistan had found many irregularities in the appointment of Prof Haroon and had raised serious objections, which were made part of the audit report to be sent to the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly. (ANI)