NCA scam case: Zubaida Jalal, Fawad appear before NAB

ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister Zubaida Jalal, who was part of the cabinet during the PTI’s government and currently belongs to the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), appeared before the Rawalpindi NAB in Al-Qadir Trust case and expressed satisfaction over the method being followed by the NAB for investigation into the fiscal scam.

She said the NAB’s method of investigation was facilitating. In a brief chat with ‘The News’ after appearing before the NAB’s at the Parliament House, the ex-minister revealed that the NAB authorities were trying to ascertain who were the beneficiaries of the scam other than the known ones. “I explained to them what I knew about the matter,” she added.

Zubaida Jalal, who has contributed a lot for the cause of education in Balochistan, told the anti-graft body’s officials that she had no knowledge about the scam but it was regrettable that the cabinet was exploited for an undesirable purpose. The officers concerned after recording her statement attained authenticity of the same from her before she left the premises.

The NAB has summoned all the former ministers of the Imran-led cabinet who attended the meeting, where the proposal was given nod.

Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has also appeared before the NAB in the same case, while Sheikh Rashid Ahmed stayed away and declined to offer testimony but he also submitted his side of the story in written to the authorities.

In 2019, the National Crimes Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom seized 190 million pounds of a business tycoon’s family in London and returned the amount to the PTI government.

According to the NAB, Imran Khan, the-then PM and his wife Bushra Bibi got more than 400 kanals of land from Bahria Town as a reward for the settlement of 190 million pounds. The PTI government, instead of adjusting 190 million pounds in the state kitty, deposited it in the Supreme Court’s account to settle payment with Bahria Town. ‘The News’ has learnt that all the former federal ministers of the PTI will appear before the NAB one by one to give answers to the Bureau’s questions pertaining to the Al-Qadir Trust case and settlement of 190 million pounds.

The NAB probed former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan in the 190 million pounds settlement case around mid-May. Imran Khan appeared in the Rawalpindi NAB’s office amid strict security a few days after getting bail in eight cases from the ATC in Islamabad. The NAB team grilled the former PM for more than three hours.

Answering some of the questions of the NAB team, Imran Khan said the record of 190 million pounds settlement lied with the Cabinet Division.