ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday condemned what he described as regrettable and shameful attempts by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) supporters to defend their leader Imran Khan, even after he was proven to be corrupt. and convicted in the £190 million corruption case.
In a statement, the minister said the PTI founder built his entire political campaign around the card of corruption and attracted people towards him with promises of transparency and accountability.
He regretted that PTI supporters had “turned a blind eye to the corrupt practices of Imran Khan”, adding that “the duplicity and hypocrisy of the PTI are exposed when they defend a leader who, instead of confronting the serious abuse of trust, resorts to religious beliefs or anti-establishment narratives to deflect criticism.”
Iqbal said some clear and undeniable facts, including Britain’s National Crime Agency, had returned £190 million to Pakistan, which was supposed to be deposited in the national treasury for public benefit. Instead of depositing this money in the national treasury, Khan transferred these funds for the benefit of his ally, the famous real estate magnate Malik Riaz. The money was deposited in a Supreme Court account that was created to pay the fine imposed on Malik Riaz.
Tarar says court verdict has confirmed corruption charges against Imran
In return, the minister claimed, the PTI founder received personal benefits from Malik Riaz, adding that “even if these benefits are ignored, transferring state funds for personal purposes is an unforgivable crime.”
He recalled that a leading British newspaper, The Financial Times, had published a detailed report on July 28, 2022, exposing Khan’s corruption in the use of charitable funds for his political campaigns. To date, Khan has not taken any legal action against the newspaper, raising serious questions about his innocence, he added.
Tarrar says corrupt face of PTI exposed Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar said the court verdict has confirmed corruption allegations against PTI founder, calling it the biggest financial scandal in the history of the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of development projects in NA-127 constituency in Lahore, Tarar said that economic development and public relief remain the top priorities of the government.
Tarar said the PML-N is a people-centric party dedicated to solving public problems.
“We are working tirelessly to fulfill our electoral promises,” he said. Highlighting the government’s efforts, he noted that inflation, which was 38 percent last year, has dropped to 3.9 percent, and foreign investment is rising steadily.
Referring to the £190 million corruption scandal, he criticized the PTI leadership for approving major financial embezzlements behind closed doors.
“They manipulated funds intended for the state, used religion as a cover and indulged in personal luxuries, including the acquisition of expensive property and jewelry,” he said.
He challenged the PTI legal team to refute the allegations and questioned the credibility of religious education initiatives at Al Qadir Trust.
Published in Amanecer, January 20, 2025.
