JKT, son’s bail extended till 22nd: ‘Probe per law can’t be on phone calls’

LAHORE: Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT) Saturday, while demanding a fair investigation team to probe fraud and money-laundering cases against him and his son, alleged that the FIR against him was prepared in Islamabad, transported to Lahore in a USB and got signed here.

He was talking to the media after attending the court proceedings against him and his son, Ali Tareen, regarding their interim bail before a sessions and banking court. The sessions court extended the interim bail of the father-son duo till April 22, while the banking court extended their bail till April 17.

A group of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs, MPAs, ministers and advisers to the CM Punjab accompanied Tareen, from his residence to the courts. The group included provincial minister Nauman Langrial, MPAs Nazeer Chohan, Iftikhar Gondal, Amin Chaudhry, Khurram Leghari, Aoun Chaudhry, Raja Riaz and others.

Jahangir Tareen, after the court proceedings, said he would appear whenever the courts would summon him. He said: “I am in the party and will remain in the party. PTI is everyone's party, if I do not stay in the party, where else will I go,” asked Tareen.

He said the investigation should not be done by taking orders on telephone. “I want to make it clear that I will appear before the court and will clear my name,” Tareen added.

Tareen alleged that the team which was conducting investigation against him was biased, as it was constituted as a result of a phone call. He demanded formation of a new and fair investigation team. “I am not afraid of inquiries, and they should conduct inquiries, but after constituting a transparent team for the purpose which is not controversial; that should not be a team that works on someone's directions, Tareen added. He said that there should be a legitimate and transparent investigation against them, as they were not running away from the law.

Jahangir Tareen thanked all the PTI leaders who accompanied him. He concluded his talk while dismissing the claims that he was leaving the PTI.

PTI MNA Raja Riaz expressed complete solidarity with Jahangir Khan Tareen, and claimed that 30 parliamentarians accompanied Tareen during his appearance in the court. He said all those coming along with Tareen were his supporters but their captain was Imran Khan. He said the lawmakers who were supporting Tareen were not blackmailers, but were sympathisers of the PTI and wanted to make the party stronger. Those who are conspiring against Jahangir Tareen are conspiring against Imran Khan, Riaz added. He asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to think about the cases registered against Jahangir Tareen as he believed it was a conspiracy and there were some people close 6to the PM who were targeting Tareen. Raja claimed that Tareen was facing false cases registered against him.

Punjab Minister for Management and Professional Development Nauman Langrial appealed to other PTI members to support Jahangir Tareen. “It was Tareen who invited us to the PTI and gave us respect,” Langrial added. He said that they will stay with Tareen in a bid to make party stronger.

PTI MPA from Lahore Nazeer Chohan questioned the role of adviser to the PM on Accountability Shahzad Akbar. He claimed that people sitting left and right to the PM are conspiring against him. He said that all of the lawmakers had decided that they would talk to PM Imran Khan and seek justice from him. He questioned the qualification of Shahzad Akbar in comparison to an elected lawmaker. Chohan dismissed rumours that the lawmakers supporting Tareen would make a forward bloc against the party’s government in Punjab. He said their life and death was with Imran Khan.