LAHORE – Federal Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin has said that companies were opened for investment purpose with the permission of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) but closed between 2014-15 adding that no bank account was opened for these companies and no transaction was made.
Talking to Dunya News, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said that the companies were opened when Tariq Malik was working for Bin Laden group. He said that formal permission was taken to invest in his bank.
Shaukat Tareen further said that a Dubai-based company showed interest to invest in his bank.
In 2014, M E Developers LLC of Tariq bin Laden wanted to invest in Silkbank. They got In Principal approval from the SBP and then opened four offshore accounts to raise structured finance to raise funds 1/2
— Shaukat Tarin (@shaukat_tarin) October 3, 2021
Before anything could happen there was law and order situation in Pakistan and bin Laden decided not to invest. No bank accounts were opened, no transactions took place and the companies stood closed 2/2
— Shaukat Tarin (@shaukat_tarin) October 3, 2021
He said that he is ready at all times as he has done nothing wrong adding that he has all the documentary evidence while PM Imran Khan has been informed that all my assets are declared.
It is pertinent to mention here that another global scandal similar to Panama Papers is about to unfold. ICIJ will publish 11.9 million documents tonight, a global investigation that will surpass even the Panama Papers of 2016 involves 600 journalists and 150 media organizations from 117 countries.
