Who threw blanket of secrecy over govt-NCA deal?: It was decision of Cabinet, IK tells NAB

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan on Tuesday appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) scam commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust case.

Khan arrived at the NAB Rawalpindi office at around 11:30 am after appearing before Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) and then entered the anti-graft body office at 11:48 am for appearing before the NAB’s joint investigation team (JIT) for recording his statement. Khan left the NAB office at 4:15 pm. Security officials stopped the vehicle carrying Imran at the gate and did not allow his personal security to accompany him.

Sources said that the JIT grilled Khan regarding the record of correspondence with the NCA in the United Kingdom (UK) and freezing orders from Khan regarding the £190 million. During the interrogation, Khan told the JIT, the NAB had already obtained the “Al-Qadir Trust’s record”.

Al-Qadir Trust case: Imran skips NAB hearing

The sources said Khan further told the investigators that the record related to the £190 million was with the Cabinet Division, and he did not have access to the NCA’s records. The bureau has asked Khan to provide the record of the university’s affiliation with Punjab Higher Education and the trust deed between the trust and company, of all the accused, they said.

They said that Khan revealed before the investigation team that two members of his cabinet Shahzad Akbar and Zulfi Bukhari had played an important role in the return of £190 million to Pakistan. The NAB team asked Khan who held negotiations between Pakistan and the NCA of the UK, to this, Khan replied that the former head of the Asset Recovery Unit could give a better answer in this regard.

Sources said that the NAB team asked Khan at whose decision the deal with the NCA was kept secret. To which, Imran Khan replied that it was a unanimous decision of the cabinet. The investigators also questioned how much Imran Khan and his family contributed to the Al-Qadir Trust. Khan replied that his wife was looking after matters related to the donations.

According to reports, Imran was inside the NAB’s office, and his wife waited outside in the former premier’s bullet-proof vehicle as she was not summoned by the bureau. However, some security officials also said that Khan left Bushra Bibi in a vehicle at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) after it developed some mechanical problems. After some time, she moved to Lahore alone in that vehicle.

A heavy contingent of Islamabad police, Frontier Constabulary (FC), and Rangers were deployed in and around the NAB Rawalpindi office.

The city police also blocked all roads leading to the NAB Rawalpindi office.

Sources said that Khan was provided with the relevant documents and questions and directed to bring the documents with him on the next appearance.

The former prime minister did not bring sufficient documents/evidence for his defence, they said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023