Imran Khan phoned Saqib Nisar to get Tareen’s review plea rejected: Aun Chaudhry

LAHORE: In a fresh disclosure, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Aun Chaudhry claimed Friday it was pre-decided that PTI Chairman Imran Khan would get an “NRO” in the Bani Gala house case and former party leader Jahangir Tareen’s disqualification was a “balancing act”.

Aun Chaudhry, a former member of the PTI, told Shahzeb Khanzada, host of Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”, he had prior information about Tareen’s disqualification – in the concealment of assets case.

In December 2017, the Supreme Court had absolved Imran Khan of all allegations of corruption and declared him an honest person, but disqualified Tareen for misdeclaration under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.

Aun Chaudhry disclosed PM Imran Khan phoned the then Chief Justice to reject the review petition of Jahangir Tareen upholding his disqualification.

“I will tell the truth to the nation. I had prior information that Tareen would be disqualified despite providing all the documents to the court. Tareen’s disqualification was a balancing act,” Aun claimed.

Former PTI leader said it was decided it did not matter whether Imran Khan’s documents were incomplete as an NRO was in the pipeline for him.

“When you (Imran) wanted power, you were ready to even beg for it,” Aun said, adding the people would call the PTI chief for getting Tareen’s review petition – in the disqualification case – dismissed.

He revealed the documents Imran’s former wife, Jemima Khan, provided were of a bank that had shut down its operations 10 years back, leading him to believe “Tareen’s disqualification was a balancing act. The one (Imran) whose documents were incomplete were saved.”

The PM’s aide said before coming into government, Imran Khan held meetings with the then Chief of Army Staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and ex-Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid.

He told Shahzeb that Imran texted him not to come to his oath-taking event as Bushra Bibi had a dream “and that he should not be attending the oath-taking ceremony”.

He said there was such an atmosphere after their marriage that anyone could find a place in his good book after accepting Bushra Bibi as Murshad (mentor). In this way, the persons whom Imran disliked came close to him after having baet (allegiance) with her.

Aun Chaudhry said Bushra Bibi told Jahangir Tareen at a dinner after their wedding she was not a jadugarni (sorcerer).

He said Imran removed him the office of advisor to CM when he informed him about the corrupt practices going on in Punjab and what Ahsan Gujjar and Farah Gogi were doing there.

He said Bushra’s close friend Farah Gogi and her husband Ahsan Jameel Gujjar would take their “cut” in transfers of Punjab’s bureaucracy.

“Was all of this not in Imran Khan’s knowledge? It definitely was,” he said, slamming the deposed premier for imposing an “illiterate” person – Usman Buzdar – as chief minister of Punjab which accounts for more than half of Pakistan’s population.

Former PTI leader said he respected Bushra and Farah more than his mother and sister, but both Farah and her husband interfered in Punjab’s affairs.

“They did not do this on their own, they had the support of the home,” he said, indicating Bushra’s involvement in the affairs of Punjab despite not holding a public office.

“Farah Gogi and Jameel Gujjar did not even have the authority to call an SHO (Station House Officer). They took bribes and had ministers and government officers appointed.”