NAB seek records from Imran Khan in £190m settlement case

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Tuesday sought different records from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan pertaining to the £190 million settlement case, Geo News reported quoting sources.

The development came after Khan appeared at NAB’s Rawalpindi office for interrogation by the anti-graft body’s combined investigation team.

Khan told the team that the records about the settlement case are with the cabinet division and that he does not have access to the record of the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, while record of Al-Qadir Trust are already with NAB.

The team has asked the PTI chief to submit record of all donors of the university as well as the donations he has made himself.

The NAB team, as per the sources, has also sought record of the university affiliation with Punjab Higher Education and the trust deed between the trust and company of all the accused.

Sources told Geo News that the anti-graft body grilled Khan over record of correspondence with the National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom. NAB has also sought records of freezing orders from Khan regarding the £190 million.

However, Khan remained stuck at the NAB premises for several hours as his car broke down and needed to be fixed. He finally left for Lahore as evening dawned in Babar Awan's car.

'No personal benefit from Al-Qadir Trust'

In his written response to the NAB, Khan said 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.

"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.

The federal cabinet had unanimously taken a decision regarding the amount in accordance with the law, Khan said.

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.

He also denied NAB's statement that he had not provided the required documents, saying that they were given to the body after the summons was received.

"The reply as well as my readiness and willingness to join the investigation of the case on 23.05.2023 is without prejudice to my clear and unambiguous stand that NAB has no jurisdiction to initiate any investigation or inquiry into this matter," the response concluded.

At the Islamabad Judicial Complex earlier, the PTI chief said his party members are not leaving willingly but being forced to leave.

Khan’s comment was in response to question regarding reports that PTI leaders Musarrat Cheema and Jamshed Cheema were jumping ship.

The PTI chief also lamented the arrest of female party members during his chat with journalists while he was present inside the ATC at the judicial complex in Islamabad.

The couple, which remains entangled in several legal cases, later reached NAB's Rawalpindi office.

Bail issued to Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi in separate cases

Earlier today, Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi secured bail in separate cases following their appearance at the anti-terrorism (ATC) and accountability courts at the judicial complex in Islamabad.

Khan has been granted bail in eight terror cases till June 8 by the ATC, while his wife’s bail plea was approved till May 31 by an accountability court.

Bushra Bibi's bail petition was approved against surety bonds worth Rs500,000 in the £190 million settlement case.

Judge Muhammad Bashir granted the interim bail and took the signatures of the former first lady regarding the bonds. The court also notified the investigation officer regarding the bail.

The PTI chairman and his wife Bushra Bibi had arrived at the judicial complex earlier today from Lahore to appear at the anti-terrorism court (ATC) and the accountability court, respectively.

The anti-graft watchdog has called upon the cricketer-turned-politician to appear in connection with an investigation tied to a substantial £190 million settlement case.

Responding to the summons, the PTI chief confirmed that he will be available in Islamabad on May 23. 

On May 18, the PTI chief failed to make an appearance at the NAB Rawalpindi office, citing his presence in Lahore and the ongoing pursuit of bail in multiple cases as reasons for his absence. In a comprehensive written response spanning five pages, Khan explained his limited availability, thereby expressing his inability to join the investigation at that time.

Khan's arrest in the same case ignited widespread unrest on May 9, leading to violent protests across the nation. The chaos and violence resulted in the loss of at least eight lives and left numerous others injured. Authorities responded swiftly, apprehending thousands of PTI workers in an effort to restore order.

The chaos was not contained to the streets alone, as civil and military installations also faced attacks. Notably, the General Headquarters (GHQ) and Corps Commander House (Jinnah House) in Lahore suffered the brunt of violence that followed Khan's arrest.

However, the Supreme Court ordered his release on May 11 and directed him to appear before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) the next day.

Both the military and the government have pledged to hold accountable those responsible for the attacks on army installations under the Pakistan Army Act, Official Secrets Act, and other laws. 

The case

The PTI chairman is facing charges of corruption of billions of rupees in the case involving a property tycoon.

Khan — along with his wife Bushra Bibi and other PTI leaders — is facing a NAB inquiry related to a settlement between the PTI government and the property tycoon, which reportedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer.

As per the charges, Khan and other accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion — 190 million pounds 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.

The agency said the assets would be passed to the government of Pakistan and the settlement with the Pakistani property tycoon was “a civil matter, and does not represent a finding of guilt”.

Subsequently, then-prime minister Khan get approval of the settlement with the UK crime agency from his cabinet on December 3, 2019, without disclosing the details of the confidential agreement.

It was decided that the money would be submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of the tycoon.

Subsequently, the Al-Qadir Trust was established in Islamabad a few weeks after the PTI-led government approved the agreement with the property tycoon.

PTI leaders Zulfi Bukhari, Babar Awan, Bushra Bibi, and her close friend Farah Khan were appointed as members of the trust.

Two to three months after the cabinet’s approval, the property tycoon transferred 458 canals of land to Bukhari, a close aide of the PTI chief, which he later transferred to the trust.

Later, Bukhari and Awan opted out as the trustees. That trust is now registered in the name of Khan, Bushra Bibi and Farah.

NAB officials were earlier probing the alleged misuse of powers in the process of recovery of “dirty money” received from the UK crime agency.

Following the emergence of "irrefutable evidence" in the case, the inquiry was converted into an investigation.

According to the NAB officials, Khan and his wife obtained land worth billions of rupees from the property tycoon, to build an educational institute, in return for striking a deal to give legal cover to the property tycoon’s black money received from the UK crime agency.