ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) yesterday interrogated former prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan and sought the records of the funds related to the £190m settlement case.
Imran appeared before the anti-graft watchdog’s office in Rawalpindi, as per the commitment he made in response to the NAB summons and underwent questioning. Imran Khan on Tuesday spent nearly four hours at the NAB Rawalpindi office in connection with the probe in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi also accompanied him during the NAB appearance. During the investigation, NAB officials grilled Khan over the records of correspondence with the National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom and freezing orders from Khan regarding the £190 million.
However, the PTI chief told the NAB officials that the watchdog had already received the Al-Qadir Trust’s records. He said that the record of orders related to the £190 million was with the Cabinet Division, and he did not have access to the NCA’s records. The NAB officials asked the PTI chief to submit the records of all donors of the university as well as the donations he has made himself, the sources said.
The NAB team, as per the sources, has also sought a record of the university’s affiliation with Punjab Higher Education and the trust deed between the trust and company of all the accused.
In his written response to the NAB, Khan claimed that the £190 million received from the NCA was present in the Supreme Court’s account. “No personal benefit of any kind was taken from this amount,” he maintained.
“Allegations of corruption by NAB are fabricated, baseless and malicious,” the former premier stated. He also denied that he or his wife had benefitted monetarily as Al-Qadir trustees.
He explained that the federal cabinet had unanimously taken a decision regarding the amount in accordance with the law.
The PTI chairman further informed the anti-graft watchdog that a copy of its inquiry report had been lost during his arrest at the Islamabad High Court earlier this month and requested that another copy be sent to his Zaman Park residence.
Before visiting the NAB’s office, Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi had gone to the Islamabad judicial complex, where an anti-terrorism court (ATC) granted bail to the PTI chief in eight different cases till June 8.
Bushra Bibi also secured bail in the £190 million settlement case from an accountability court, which is housed in the same judicial complex. The former first lady along with Khan, had first appeared before the accountability court to seek a protective bail to avoid her arrest in the £190 million graft case.
The Lahore High Court had granted her protective bail which expired yesterday. Judge Muhammad Bashir approved Bushra Bibi’s bail till May 31 against surety bonds worth Rs500,000. He also took her signatures to ensure the submission of surety bonds, before issuing a notice to the investigation officer.
As per the charges, Imran Khan and other accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion — £190 million at the time — sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government as part of the agreement with the property tycoon. They are also accused of getting undue benefit in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, to establish Al Qadir University. During the PTI government, United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) seized assets worth 190 million pounds from the property tycoon in Britain.