Using govt helicopters: Imran to appear before NAB team today

PESHAWAR: Prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan will appear before the combined investigation team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) here today in an inquiry for allegedly using the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s helicopters for which he was not entitled.

The PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry confirmed that the party chief Imran Khan would attend the proceedings at the offices of the NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in Peshawar.On August 3, the NAB KP had again summoned Imran Khan to appear before its combined investigation team on August 7.

Earlier, it had summoned him on July 18, but Imran Khan requested NAB KP to fix August 7 or another date in the case as he was busy in the campaign for the general election. He had submitted an application to the NAB through the law firm Babar Awan and Associates, seeking more time for appearance at the NAB KP.

Certain government officials and former KP chief minister Pervez Khattak have already appeared before the combined investigation team in the same inquiry.

Both Imran Khan and the PTI government in KP had denied any misuse of the two official helicopters. They maintained that the helicopters weren’t used by Imran Khan for any personal purpose.

NAB Chairman, retired Justice Javed Iqbal had taken notice of the issue a few months ago when it was highlighted by the print and electronic media and directed the NAB, KP to inquire into the allegations levelled against the PTI chief.

The NAB had claimed that there was documentary evidence that Imran Khan had paid Rs2.1 million for using a Mi-171 and an Ecureuil helicopter belonging to the KP government for a total of 74 hours. It pointed out that this amounted to Rs28,000 spent for every hour the helicopters were used though the amount to be paid is much higher and in millions.

Meanwhile, an official of the NAB told The News that all security arrangements had been completed at the NAB regional office and around it at Hayatabad town in Peshawar on the occasion of Imran Khan’s appearance in connection with the investigation into the so-called helicopters’ case.