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As the verdict in the Al-Qadir Trust case approaches, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has renewed corruption allegations against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dawn reported.
The case, centred around a GBP 190 million payment involving Al-Qadir University, is set to have its decision announced on Monday, December 23. In December 2023, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a corruption reference against Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and several others. The case involves allegations that the couple obtained billions of rupees and hundreds of kanals of land from Bahria Town in exchange for legalising PKR 50 billion that had been returned to Pakistan by the UK during the PTI government's tenure. Asif, speaking from London, stated that the four years of Imran's governance were marked by unprecedented levels of corruption. "There has been a lot of corruption in the last 75 years, but Imran Khan broke all records," Asif said, adding that Imran and those around him were deeply involved in corrupt activities, as per reports by Dawn. He further contrasted Imran with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, praising Nawaz's commitment to Pakistan's atomic program despite offers of foreign monetary bribes. "If Imran were in the same position, he'd forsake the national interest and take the USD 5 billion for himself," Asif remarked. Asif also addressed rumours circulating on social media regarding the Al-Qadir Trust case, specifically the claim that the GBP 190 million involved was deposited into the Supreme Court's accounts. "That is not true. The money went into Malik Riaz's accounts," Asif clarified. According to him, when the Supreme Court intervened, a discrepancy of PKR 600 billion between the value of the land and the amount paid by Malik Riaz became evident. Asif emphasised that this was public money, and "it belonged to the people." Asif further alleged that Imran Khan "obliged" Malik Riaz by accepting 400 acres of land and a position on the board of Al-Qadir Trust University. He stressed that Imran, his wife, and associate Farah Gogi were all board members. "The people of Pakistan need to know the truth," Asif added. The Defence Minister also accused Imran of misappropriating funds from the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital. He claimed that Imran moved USD 7 million abroad, investing half of it in a company in Muscat that later failed, and the rest in France, Dawn reported. "This money belonged to Shaukat Khanum, it belonged to a good cause," Asif said, asserting that the funds were meant for charitable purposes but were instead siphoned off by Imran. Asif concluded with a vow to bring these allegations into the public sphere. "This man is a thief and I will prove it," he declared. "I will write a white paper on Imran and Malik Riaz so that his supporters can no longer say the money went into the Supreme Court." The Defence Minister promised to raise these issues in parliament and through press conferences, stating, "The people will learn the truth." (ANI)
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