ISLAMABAD - Senior members of PTI’s dissident group yesterday claimed that PTI’s former Secretary General Jahangir Khan Tareen has got a ‘clean-chit’ in an inquiry conducted by a single member Committee to look into the sugar scam case.
“Jahangir Khan Tareen, Shahzad Akbar and Ali Zafar held a detailed meeting the other day [Tuesday]. Jahangir Tareen was given a ‘clean-chit’ in the sugar scam,” said PTI’s member Raja Riaz from the disgruntled group led by JKT.
Barrister Ali Zafar in his report clearly mentioned that Jahangir Tareen was unfairly targeted in this scam, said PTI’s MNA Raja Riaz, claiming that his declared facts can also be re-checked from Shahzad Akbar.
“Jahangir Khan Tareen has been cleared of all charges and he has nothing to do with any transaction. This is our victory,” he said. Raja Riaz further said that Jahangir Tareen has been exonerated from all the allegations.
“Ending all the rumours and speculations, this report has declared Jahangir Khan Tareen as innocent in this matter,” he said, mentioning, that this group [Dissident MPs group led by JKT] would remain intact to point out wrong-doing on the government side.
Shahzad Akbar denies meeting with Jahangir Tareen
“Yes, the size of the group could further increase after the upcoming Federal budget ,as many other lawmakers are also in contact with them,” he said, stating that they would support the government in the Federal budget but would not hesitate to point out any wrong budgetary proposal.
Another senior member of the group Ishaq Khakwani also claimed that a single member Committee appointed by the Prime Minister Imran Khan has given the former PTI Secretary General a “clean-chit”.
“It has ended the entire concocted story in the market. I, on my information, confidently claim that Jahangir Tareen has been given a clean-chit,” said Ishaq Khakwani, a senior member of JKT group.
About the comments of Opposition parties, he said it would be unfair to say that JKT was given ‘NRO’.
“This case cannot be compared with the corruption related cases of Asif Ali Zardari and other Opposition leaders,” he said, mentioning that the members of the group would stand with the PTI’s government in passage of the Federal budget. “We have no intentions to target any group, but were struggling to get justice,” he said.
It may be noted that the importance of recently emerged PTI’s dissident group was evident from the political manoeuvring by the ruling party’s senior members especially in the current month.
This pressure group had tacitly threatened to make a dent in the current political set up during the upcoming budget session of PTI government. Though this pressure group has so far not submitted any formal application in the National Assembly Secretariat to get separate identity in the Parliament, their separate group is being considered in the political circles.
Meanwhile, Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior and Accountability Shahzad Akbar Wednesday denied media reports of meeting with Jahangir Tareen.
In a tweet he said that Barrister Ali Zafar has already denied any report being associated with him on issue of pending Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) investigation. Criminal investigations are the sole prerogative of investigative agencies, he added.
He further said that the PTI government believes in independence of institutions, rule of law and accountability and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s commitment to the process of accountability and justice is unshakable.