Another former cabinet member from Imran Khan’s administration has come forward to testify against him and his close aide, Mirza Shahzad Akbar, in the 190 million pound corruption case.
Zubaida Jalal, who served as the minister of defence production in the PTI-led government, testified that ministers were “kept in the dark” regarding the transfer of “crime proceeds” to property tycoon Malik Riaz.
The NAB’s reference against Mr. Khan alleges that the cabinet in 2019 approved a confidential deed to return 190 million pounds—seized by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and sent back to Pakistan—to Mr. Riaz. The case claims that in exchange, the former prime minister and his wife, Bushra Bibi, received billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from Bahria Town to “legalise” the money.
In her testimony before accountability judge Mohammad Ali Warraich, the former minister recounted her participation in the December 2019 cabinet meeting as the defence production minister.
During this meeting, Mr. Akbar, the then accountability czar, presented a sealed envelope as an additional agenda item.
According to her account, Mr. Akbar briefed the meeting that 190 million pounds had been “illegally transferred to the UK,” and the NCA had informed the Pakistani government about the seized funds.
When the cabinet sought to discuss the matter due to its significance, Mr. Akbar “insisted that due to the confidentiality of the matter, we [cabinet] should approve this agenda without deliberation and discussion.”
Mr. Akbar further assured the meeting that the money would be “repatriated to the government.”
Ms. Jalal stated that cabinet members approved the agenda “in good faith.”
As per her statement, the ex-PM had requested the approval.
Claiming ignorance of the document’s content, the ex-minister said that when NAB’s investigation officer showed her the deed approved by the cabinet and a note from the then-prime minister, she “disassociated herself with both documents.”
The former prime minister’s principal secretary, Azam Khan, also testified in the case on Saturday. Mr. Azam, who served as the ex-PM’s top aide from August 2018 to April 2022, testified that Mr. Akbar brought a note seeking the ex-PM’s approval to present the confidential deed in the cabinet meeting. He stated that Mr. Khan approved the document to be presented to the cabinet.
However, Mr. Azam claimed he was not privy to the cabinet meeting discussion as it was in-camera. The judge later adjourned the hearing until July 20.
Imran Khan media talk
Speaking to reporters after the court proceedings, Mr. Khan praised the Supreme Court judges for “upholding the rule of law.”
He welcomed the apex court’s judgement on reserved seats, calling it a “ray of hope” for the people of Pakistan.
The judges “stood for the rule of law,” the ex-PM said, as he criticized Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa over the decision on PTI’s election symbol. He also mentioned that the US Congress had termed the election as fraudulent.
According to him, a small elite has “taken over the country,” and only the Supreme Court could bring this elite under legal scrutiny. He predicted that the next fiscal budget would be “worse” than the one recently presented by the PML-N-led government, which has “burdened the taxpayers.”
When asked if PTI would attempt to form the government after obtaining reserved seats, Mr. Khan stated he would not engage in political maneuvering. He emphasized that the only solution to end the ongoing crisis is to hold free and fair elections.
