Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath: Another account of ‘NRO to Imran’ surfaces

LAHORE: A senior columnist has endorsed Ansar Abbasi’s story about former chief justice Saqib Nisar giving an NRO to PTI Chairman Imran Khan as desired by Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Geo News anchor Shahzeb Khanzada stated this in his programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath.” Shahzeb said journalist Javed Chaudhry, after a six-hour long meeting with Gen Bajwa, wrote two columns on December 27 and 29, confirming the news stories of Ansar Abbasi. According to Javed Chaudhry, Bajwa gave NRO twice. First was for Imran Khan in 2017, while the other for was for Asif Zardari in 2021.

Shahzeb Khanzada, in his analysis, said Imran has been pushing his narrative that the apex court had declared him Sadiq and Amin, but it has emerged now that this certificate was allegedly granted to him illegally. The anchor said it was all result of use of authority and political engineering, adding, according to the column, the establishment provided Saqib Nisar to write the decision.

Shahzeb said it is a major scandal of political engineering in which Gen Bajwa, former DG ISI General Faiz Hamid and former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar are involved. The way the establishment acted with the then chief justice in giving NRO to Imran Khan in 2017, and how Imran tried to break up the PDM by giving relief to Asif Zardari stands exposed.

Journalist Ansar Abbasi, in his news story published on December 27, gave the reason why PPP left PDM in 2021. Quoting sources, Ansar Abbasi claimed the establishment had advised Imran Khan to give relief to Asif Zardai to weaken the PDM.

In another news story, Ansar Abbasi, quoting PM’s aide Malik Ahmad Khan and sources close to Gen Bajwa, claimed the then establishment helped Imran Khan in getting Sadiq and Amin certificate from the Supreme Court through the then chief justice Saqib Nisar.

Saqib Nisar, as reported by Ansar Abbasi. has termed the reports of giving NRO to Imran Khan as bullshit.