Zulfi Bukhari summoned in Al-Qadir University land case

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zulfi Bukhari Saturday received a notice from the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Rawalpindi office, summoning him on January 9.

The notice sent by the anti-graft body stated that it had summoned ex-PM Khan's former aide for a matter related to land transfer and purchase of a university in Punjab, and has also asked him to bring with him the land transfer record of Al-Qadir University Project Trust.

NAB has, as per the notice, also asked him to seek a registry record of purchasing land from a private housing society.

Reacting to being summoned by the corruption watchdog, the PTI leader said that NAB has called him as a witness.

“This is a revenge tactic. I will not back down in any case,” Bukhari said, highlighting how he’s being framed on purpose.

“An attempt is being made to frame me as a criminal for [initiating] a university which is playing its role for Islamic education,” the PTI politician said, adding that he’s ready to face any tactic by the government.

Reiterating the stance of his party’s leader Imran Khan, Bukhari insisted on elections as the only solution to problems in Pakistan.

Last month, The News reported that the PTI chief's dream university, Al-Qadir Institute, has only enrolled 100 students even two years after its establishment.

The former prime minister's varsity — established in 2021 in Sohawa, Jhelum — has still not been recognised as a university by the Punjab government. In its first year, Al-Qadir offered admission to 41 students, while in the second year, only 60 students were enrolled by it.

The institute charges fees from its students despite being registered as a trust. All sorts of expenses of Al-Qadir Trust are being taken care of by a big businessman, as per their agreement, which was reported earlier in The News.

Initially, a top businessman had donated 458 kanals of land to Al-Qadir Institute which, according to the stamp paper, was valued at Rs244 million in 2019.

The land was transferred first to Bukhari, who later transferred it to the trust after its creation in January 2021. The land is located in Mouza Bakrala, Tehsil Sohawa, district Jhelum.

The acknowledgement agreement of the donated land was signed between Bushra Khan (on behalf of Al-Qadir University) and the donor, while Imran Khan (chairman of Al Qadir University) was holding the Prime Minister’s Office.