ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Awami League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed on Tuesday again skipped the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) appearance in £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) scam commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust case against former prime minister Imran Khan.

The anti-graft body earlier summoned Rasheed on May 24 but he did not appear before the NAB’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and he informed the NAB through his counsel that he did not receive the NAB summon.

The bureau re-summoned the AML chief to appear before it along with relevant record but he again skipped his appearance by informing the NAB that he has no information and evidence with regard to Al-Qadir Trust.

In a series of tweets, Rasheed said he was submitting a reply to the NAB notice received last night. In his reply submitted to the NAB, Rasheed said, “I have received a call-up notice from NAB to appear before it on May 30 as witness to record my statement in respect of investigation of Al-Qadir Trust case. I want to inform you that when the item of Al-Qadir Trust case was taken up in cabinet meeting on December 13, 2019, I was not present as I had already left the cabinet meeting before the said item was taken up.”

I have no information and evidence with regard to Al-Qadir Trust, it says, adding that “I was having strained relations with Shahzad Akbar and was not even on talking terms with him. I have no evidence or document in my possession with regard to Al-Qadir Trust case.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023