Sharif asks government to investigate French submarine deal kickback reports

Lahore, Nov.14 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has asked the government to investigate reports about the alleged kickbacks received during the purchase of the three French submarines in 1994.

Talking to PML-N leaders from Faisalabad here, Sharif said the names of all those who had received commissions in the submarine deal should be made public.

"Receiving of commission of almost four billion rupees in a single deal depicts the sorry state of affairs in a country where people are deprived of education, power and other basic necessities," The Dawn quoted Sharif, as saying.

A leading French newspaper had revealed that President Asif Ali Zardari had received 4.3 million dollars in kickbacks from the sale of three Agosta 90 submarines for 825 million euros in 1994.

Zardari's spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, however, rejected the report as a 'conspiracy' against the President. (ANI)