ISLAMABAD, JUL 31 (DNA) – Former auditor general of Pakistan Akhtar Buland Rana has been sentenced one-year imprisonment for concealing his dual citizenship, in a verdict ruled by civil judge Muhammad Shabbir Bhatti on Monday.

As soon as he was proven guilty of having Canadian nationality at the time of taking government passport, police handcuffed him outside the courtroom. The case was registered in accordance with Passport Act of 1974 under accusations of dual nationality. Rana was transferred to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi straight from the civil court.

It should be recalled that the former auditor general was sacked on charges of misconduct by federal government in 2015. He reportedly had five different passports, including one Canadian and four Pakistani. Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report in 2014 found that he withdrew Rs. 4.62 million from national exchequer in violation of the regulations.

Other complaints include taking long leaves in order to fulfill the residency requisites for Canadian immigration, abuse of power and not declaring his dual nationality to immigration and passport’s deputy director.=DNA

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