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Friday March 29, 2024

Tareen, his family and businesses ‘bugged’

By Murtaza Ali Shah
October 16, 2020

LONDON: Two government departments – not linked with any defence organisation or the armed forces — monitored activities of PTI former secretary general Jahangir Tareen, his family members and his business interests over several weeks, sources have said.

One department is mandated with investigation and the other has the authority to carry out surveillance activities.

Sources shared that Jahangir Tareen’s residences in Islamabad and Lodhran were bugged as well as his sugar mills and other business interests.

When Jahangir Tareen was asked questions in relation to the surveillance of his family and his businesses, he did not go into details but did not deny that his family was put under surveillance.

Tareen, however, alleged he was unfairly targeted and maligned for no reason. He said a group in the Prime Minister House had done everything to create misunderstanding between him and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Shahzad Akbar, the adviser to the PM on accountability and interior, said the allegation of bugging of Tareen and his family was “news” for him. Akbar explained: “All concerns of those who were subject of Sugar Commission inquiry were raised by them in multiple litigations before various high courts and Supreme Court of Pakistan. None found worth an order in their favour. The rest is just fiction.”

Speaking to this correspondent, Fawad Chaudhry, the Federal Minister for Science and Technology, said he was not aware if Tareen and family were bugged. Chaudhary said: “Tareen played a huge role in the development of PTI and we would not be where we are today without Tareen’s contribution.” Tareen is in London these days for his medical treatment.