ISLAMABAD , May 9, 2023: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Tuesday the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was an independent institution and the government did not influence the NAB to arrest PTI chief Imran Khan.
Addressing a presser, he said he could swear that he never met the NAB chairman. “Other inquires of corruption against Mr Khan are in progress but this arrest has been done in the case related to Al-Qadir Trust,” he added.
On NAB’s action, he said when the NAB instructed Mr Khan to appear for investigation, he challenged the notices in court. “Later, when the LHC finally gave a go ahead and he still did not appear, the NAB sprang into action and arrested him,” he added.
Rana Sanaullah explains “origin of corruption”
Explaining the origin of alleged corruption, he said a property tycoon’s money amounting to 190m pounds was found in the UK. “As per the constitution, it was public money meant to be transferred to the country and Pakistan contacted the UK government for repatriation,” he added.
But ex-aide to former PM Khan, Shehzad Akbar, did not let that happen, he went on to say. “A trust was created named Al-Qadir containing lands including 240 kanal in Bani Gala and other in Sohawa,” he added. Shehzad Akbar got Rs2 billion for his connivance, he claimed, and fled to the UK.
He said Mr Khan made this trust to hide the corruption money, and Mr Khan and his wife were the trustees.
Mr Sana continued by saying that the Toshakhana case was also proven against him and he had been doing this at the time when Mr Nawaz and Ms Maryam was being investigated. “The Toshakhana case is about to be concluded too,” he added.
The minister said Rs60 billion were adjusted in the Supreme Court’s account and were not repatriated to the country. “The SC did not bother to take notice and Rs60 billion was adjusted,” he added.
Nothing was paid back, the property tycoon who got Mr Khan land worth Rs7 billion then got 190 million pounds adjusted, Mr Sana said.
The minister challenged Mr Khan to present a money-trail saying he had raised the issue. “On top of that, when Mr Khan was doing corruption, he asked Mr Akbar to defend the case in the UK court,” he added. Meanwhile, he said, he also kept grilling the then-opposition.
No one took suo motu notices when it was being done, he lamented.
Would Imran be facilitated for investigation?
Answering a question, he said it was not vindictive politics but a corruption case. “If properties are registered in his name, how is it vindictive politics?,” he asked. “It was documented corruption, he said, and not an oral allegation.
Upon being asked about providing Mr Khan a wheelchair for his medical examination, he said Mr Khan did not need a wheelchair. “He should be admitted to the rehabilitation centre instead,” he added. It would do a two-fold advantage, he said, investigation as well as rehabilitation.
Had Mr Khan been able to flee, he said, he would have.
On providing Mr Khan with food, he said, Mr Khan would be served with that kind of food had the NAB been able to arrange. “The PML-N leaders faced inquires and did not cry foul and disturbed peace,” he added.
“If anyone derails peace, the government will use “full force” to counter,” he added.
Upon deploying federally-administered Rangers, he said Rangers were a force of the interior ministry adding that they were deployed there upon Capital police’ request. “Rangers personnel already deployed there conducted the arrest peacefully,” he added.