Khawaja Asif ‘failed to prove’ legitimate income source, says Shahzad

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar on Saturday said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif “has failed” to prove his legitimate source of income and satisfy the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

“The theme of looting by Khawaja Asif is the same as [was] already adopted by Ishaq Dar and Shahbaz Sharif,” Akbar alleged in a news conference flanked by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Usman Dar.

He said the assets of the former federal minister “multiplied” in various cities of the country, “especially during his stint as minister” in PML-N’s tenure. Akbar said in 1993, Khawaja Asif had only “Rs5.1 million in assets — that too in the shape of his inherited house”. “The declared assets of Khawaja Asif touched the Rs118 million mark in 2013, but on query, he failed to explain any legitimate reason for the increase in his assets,” the aide added.

Akbar added: “Khawaja Asif had been receiving 2.2 million rupees per month salary from a Dubai firm during his stint as a minister in Pakistan from 2013-18. He claimed receiving a sum of Rs140 million in five years as salary in cash. “Khawaja Asif is perhaps world’s only employee who received millions in cash as salary.”

He alleged that the former defence minister transferred that amount from his Dubai account to Pakistan through telegraphic transfer (TT). “Obviously, which is not a legitimate source,” Akbar said. “Furthermore the salary payment to Khawaja Asif was stopped with the completion of the five-year term of the PML-N,” he added.

“No source was explained of the transactions of Rs507 million from the year 2009 to 2018,” he said, adding that proving corruption was “difficult in the absence of documented economy”. Shahzad Akbar said: “Under the law, unexplained wealth of a public office holder is perceived to be corruption.”

Responding to a question, he lauded the performance of NAB for making “record” recoveries compared to recoveries made during the PML-N regime “by the same NAB”.