F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Punjab’s anti-corruption authorities have arrested Khawar Maneka, former husband of Bushra Bibi, now wife of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, from Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport.
Khawar Maneka has a case registered against him with the Anti-Corruption Establishment of Punjab.
Khawar Maneka was taken into custody at the airport on Monday on charges of building illegal structures on state land. The authorities accused him of having constructed a marriage hall and 26 shops on the land of a graveyard after illegally occupying it.
Officials said Khawar Maneka was trying to escape to Dubai to avoid arrest.
Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) immigration staff spotted Khawar Maneka and then stopped him at the Lahore Airport shortly before he was about to board Dubai-bound flight Emirates Airlines.
The FIA officials said Khawar Maneka was stopped from leaving the country as his named was on the Exit Control List (ECL).
An Anti-Corruption Establishment spokesman said they were investigating a reference forwarded by the Haveli Lakha deputy commissioner against Khawar Maneka for illegally occupying the state land and carrying out construction on it.
The spokesman said the marriage hall was constructed without any approval on four kanals of state land. Maneka has been in illegal possession of the land of Pir Islam Graveyard in Haveli Lakha where he had also built 26 shops.
The spokesman said Maneka was trying to flee the country but they foiled his attempt and arrested him.
