F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: As former prime minister Imran Khan faces a jail trial in the £190 million corruption case, former Defence Minister Pervez Khattak has testified against him before an accountability court.
In his statement, the former PTI leader Khatak told accountability judge Mohammad Ali Warriach about the cabinet’s approval of the confidential deed, where the £190m seized by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), was allegedly returned to the property tycoon.
Mr Khattak told the court that he was a participant in the December 2019 cabinet meeting, where then-accountability adviser Mirza Shahzad Akbar produced the confidential deed in a sealed envelope for cabinet approval.
Khattak said when he inquired about the document, Mr Akbar said that it was an agreement of the Pakistani government with the NCA for the refund of crime proceeds. According to the former minister, some other cabinet members had also asked Shahzad Akbar to disclose the document, but he refused to do so despite their insistence, saying that the deed was confidential.
Pervez Khattak said the former prime minister also took formal approval of the additional agenda from the cabinet and there was a writing along with the agreement.
Pervez Khattak told the investigating officer that the note was written to transfer the money to a property tycoon.
Pervez Khattak claimed the investigating officer said that part of the money has already been transferred. Khattak said he had recorded the statement to NAB in the presence of his lawyer.
The case alleges that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi obtained billions of rupees and land to the tune of hundreds of kanal from Bahria Town Ltd for legalising the said amount through the federal cabinet.
Courtesy: 24News
