Court ruling needed to prove £190m was stolen money: PTI leader

ISLAMABAD: PTI parliamentary leader in the Senate Barrister Ali Zafar Wednesday said a court decision was necessary to prove that £190 million was stolen money, as no court had decreed so. He said the National Crime Agency (NCA) had stated that £190 million was stolen money and they froze it. When an agreement was reached on November 6, 2019, the money was unfrozen.

He said the entire case was built on the premise that the money in question was stolen, while the NAB said it was decided by the PTI cabinet.

Ali Zafar said the money was frozen by the NCA in 2018 and it flowed into the Supreme Court account before the cabinet decision had been made.

The PTI leader asked who’s Hassan Nawaz and then himself replied that he was a beneficiary of Nawaz Sharif and, therefore, the NAB should have asked how he had bought One Hyde Park property.

The decision on the 26th Amendment, he pointed out, had to be taken by the Supreme Court. “This is a new type of case; any expectations can be made regarding it,” he remarked.

Speaking to the media, PTI stalwart and Opposition Leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz Wednesday said negotiations were useless unless constitution of a commission by the government.

Talking to the media outside the Adiala jail, he said the party founder chairman Imran Khan had had a clear stance that negotiations were of no use unless a commission was established, as it was necessary to tell the nation the truth.

By establishing a commission, he contended, the government should prove that it was not a thief and was sincere. “We have given the government January 31 deadline for negotiations, so they should do the needful before that so that those who have done something are punished and those who have done nothing are separated,” he maintained.

APP adds: Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar Wednesday said the 190 million pound scam was a mega corruption case in the history of Pakistan.

In a televised media talk, he said during the PTI rule, Shahzad Akbar, who headed the then Asset Recovery Unit, had shown £190 million handover by the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom as confiscated money. He said a note was put up to the then prime minister regarding 190 million pounds recovery. But in gross violation of law, he added, the amount was transferred to the Supreme Court account and used for payment of the fine imposed on the tycoon by the apex court.

The international media also headlined the 190 million pound case verdict as punishment for corruption, as there was solid evidence of graft, misuse of power and authority. He said the then ruling couple took 200 kanals of land as a bribe, Al-Qadir Trust was formed, and 5-carat rings were taken from the tycoon whose fine was paid through 190 million pounds.

In sheer violation of rules, a sealed envelope was brought to the cabinet meeting and its approval was taken without even sharing details of the content, despite some members’ objections. The Supreme Court had termed the case a classic example of ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’, as money was taken from one hand and given to another in case of daylight robbery.

He said the Government of Pakistan’s money was misused and billions of rupees of public money was practically handed over to a person who was found guilty of money laundering in the UK.

He said the National Accountability Bureau had been investigating many cases of corruption and land grabbing against the tycoon and his son. He said the NAB had made it clear that whatever money would be spent on the Dubai project will fall under the category of money laundering.

He remarked that the 190 million pounds case was an open and shut case as undeniable evidence against the tycoon and his son was on record.