National

NAB summons Malik Riaz, threatening to unravel £190mn thriller

Published

2 months ago

November 27, 2022

ISLAMABAD: In what may show to set off the unravelling of some of the clouded and murky webs from the Imran Khan administration, actual property tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain has been served with a call-up from the Nationwide Accountability Bureau (NAB).

He has been requested to look earlier than a mixed investigation staff of the accountability watchdog at 11 00 AM on the first of December at NAB’s workplaces within the federal capital. The case on account of which he has been summoned goes all the way in which again to 2019, and entails accusations of bribery, corruption, and kickbacks in opposition to the federal government of former prime minister Imran Khan.

What’s the case about?

In 2019, the Nationwide Crime Company (NCA) of the UK agreed to a settlement value £190 million with the household of property tycoon Malik Riaz. The settlement was the most important ever within the historical past of the NCA, and because it was out of court docket, got here with the stipulation that it didn’t “signify a discovering of guilt”.

To grasp this, the NCA is a nationwide regulation enforcement company within the UK that investigates cash laundering and illicit funds derived from legal exercise within the UK and overseas. If the NCA is investigating a case outdoors of the UK, it returns the stolen cash to the affected state. So if the company is investigating fraud or cash laundering in Pakistan, it’ll prosecute or make a settlement within the UK and return the cash to the Pakistani authorities.

That’s what occurred within the case of Malik Riaz. His household had been underneath a ‘soiled cash’ NCA investigation for some time, which reached its conclusion with the £190 million. Nevertheless, the matter will get murky with the doorway of Particular Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar, who apparently on the behest of Malik satisfied the NCA to settle the matter and return the cash to Pakistan.

On Dec 5, 2019, Mr Akbar introduced at a press convention in Islamabad that £140m had been repatriated to Pakistan, into the Supreme Courtroom’s account. When requested how the cash may very well be transferred to the SC account, he deflected the query saying that the federal government, NCA and Mr Riaz had signed a “deed of confidentiality” which prevented him from elaborating on the matter.

So what occurred to the cash?

We don’t fairly know, and that is the place the net will get actually intricate. Basically, the accusation is that the £140m that was repatriated to Pakistan after Shahzad Akbar’s intervention with the NCA on behalf of Malik Riaz went straight again into the checking account of the property tycoon.

After coming to energy, the incumbent PDM authorities accused former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi of accepting billions in money and lots of of kanals of land from Bahria City in return for the assistance that Khan’s authorities gave to Riaz throughout his investigation by the NCA. Inside minister Rana Sanaullah claimed that Bahria City entered an settlement and gave a 458-kanal land with an on-paper worth of Rs 530 million to a belief owned by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. The land was donated to Al-Qadir Belief, and the settlement bore signatures of the actual property’s donors and Bushra Bibi.

Sanaullah claimed that Imran’s aide Shehzad Akbar had “settled” your complete case, whereas the Rs 50 billion-which belonged to the nationwide treasury-was adjusted in opposition to Bahria City’s legal responsibility. He stated Imran had acquired a graft of Rs 5 billion as “his share” by Akbar earlier than the case was wrapped. He additional stated that Bahria City, after its Rs 50 billion was protected by the then PTI authorities, had allotted 458 Kanal land with an on-paper worth of Rs 530 million to a belief owned by Imran and his spouse. He additional stated that one other 240 Kanals have been transferred to “Farah Shehzadi” generally often known as Farah-a shut good friend of Bushra Bibi.

It’s these 458-kanals which have now come underneath the scrutiny of the accountability bureau. Within the call-up discover served to Malik Riaz dated the twenty fourth of November, he has been requested to look with documentary proof to report his assertion concerning buy of 458 Kanals 04 Marlas 58 sq. ft located in Hadbast No. 77 at Mauza Barkala, Tehsil Sohawa, District Jhelum.

The apex anti-graft physique required Malik Riaz Hussain to current a whole report concerning Equally, he has been requested to provide the deed by which M/s Bahria City donated the above stated land to Al-Qadir Belief alongwith income paperwork. Likewise, particulars of different property/donation (if any) transferred by him, any of his members of the family of M/s Bahria City in favour of Al-Qadir Belief or any of its trustees, whether or not by sale/buy, present, donation or another mode. Furthermore, another related data/report.

“You might be suggested that failing to adjust to this discover, might entail penal penalties as offered in Part 2 of the schedule of NAO, 1999,” reads the discover. The discover was issued by Muhammad Faisal Qureshi, Extra Director (Employees), NAB Rawalpindi.

NAB had earlier despatched notices to the previous premier Imran Khan’s 21 cupboard members together with Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Murad Saeed, Pervaiz Khattak, Shafqat Mehmood, Shireen Mazari, Ali Haider Zaidi and Hammad Azhar, Dr Shireen Mazari, Shafqat Mahmood, Asad Umar for recording of their statements. NAB additionally summoned Ali Riaz Malik, the son of Malik Riaz who’s the founding father of Bahria City.

NAB additionally summoned Murad Saeed and Ghulam Sarwar Khan on October 11, Pervaiz Khattak and Ali Riaz Malik on October 12, Zubaida Jalal and Hammad Azhar on October 13, Shafqat Mehmood and Shireen Mazari on October 14, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Ejaz Shah on October 17, Ali Amin Gandapur and Farogh Naseem on October 18, Ali Zaidi and Khusro Bakhtiar on October 19, Azam Khan Swati and Asad Umar on October 20, Umar Ayub and Muhammad Mian Somro on October 21, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed and Fawad Chaudhry on October 24 and Mehboob Sultan and Faisal Vawda October 25 for investigation and recording of statements.

National

One-Man Fee to advocate J. Salik for prime civil award

Published

2 hours ago

February 7, 2023

Pakistaneo.com

ISLAMABAD: Chairman One-Man Fee on Minorities Rights, Dr Muhammad Shoaib Suddle, in recognition of Convener World Minorities Alliance J. Salik’s distinctive companies to the reason for minorities determined to advocate the federal government to award him the highest civil award Hilal-e-Pakistan, and nominate him for this 12 months’s Nobel Peace Prize.

The letter to Julius Salik additionally J. Salik reads: “Julius Salik is God’s distinctive present to Pakistan. His momentous wrestle for democracy started throughout the martial regulation of Normal Zia. His ardour for tirelessly combating for the rights of the oppressed in unorthodox methods quickly made him the undisputed champion of the human rights of the hapless minorities.”

The previous Federal Minister for Inhabitants Welfare was thrice elected as a member of the Parliament (Nationwide Meeting) – in 1988, 1990 and 1993. In 1994, he joined the cupboard as Federal Minister of Inhabitants Welfare. In 1996, Prime Minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto advisable him for the Nobel Peace Prize, describing him because the “nation’s conscience.”

J. Salik based the World Minorities Alliance in 1980. “Although I had lengthy noticed the rising campaign of this jewel within the crown of Pakistan’s Christian neighborhood, we had not met since 1995 after I headed Rawalpindi Division as Police Chief. I used to be pleasantly stunned when on 11 August 2022 J. Salik phoned me from Maryland, USA, to understand my work because the One-Man Fee for Minority Rights on the Supreme Court docket of Pakistan. Whereas thanking him, I requested him to return to Pakistan because the minority neighborhood wanted a uncommon chief like him – a frontrunner who loved the legendary integrity, braveness and belief related along with his identify,” he added.

Dr Suddle went on to say, “J. Salik and his spouse visited the Workplace of One-Man Fee on October 12, 2022. After presenting a flower bouquet, they invited me to go to a Christian Main College in H-9 Islamabad a few days later to which I readily agreed. I used to be given a rousing reception on reaching the varsity. In his welcome handle, Mr. Salik listed many difficulties confronted by the Christian neighborhood. I assured that each effort could be made to deal with the issues confronted by each academics and college students.”

On the request of Mr. J. Salik, he additionally visited Islamabad’s Kachi Abadis together with France Colony F-7/4, Miskin Colony, Musharraf Colony G-8, and J. Salik Colony G-8 on 23 November 2022. The involved senior officers of CDA, IESCO, and Sui Gasoline had been directed to be current throughout the go to.

“I need to say that I used to be shocked to see the depressing residing circumstances of the inhabitants of those colonies. In my capability as Chairman One-Man Fee for Minority Rights, I there after which issued applicable time-bound instructions to the accompanying officers and due to Mr. Salik’s untiring follow-up the required work has begun in earnest.”

The Election Fee of Pakistan (ECP) scheduled the native our bodies’ elections for Islamabad on 24 December 2022. The following day, i.e., 25 December, being Christmas Day, Mr. Salik raised severe objection to the insensitively ready election schedule and fiercely demanded its revision. The One-Man Fee straightaway took up the matter with the ECP and received the election date rescheduled to 31 December.

“I used to be invited as chief visitor on the public assembly organized by the World Minorities Alliance on the Nationwide Press Membership Islamabad on 19 January 2023. There I noticed the guide “Pakistan ke Pehchan” compiled by Mr. Jabbar Mirza on the lifetime of Mr. J. Salik. The guide is a useful assortment of outstanding tributes paid by Pakistan’s 262 prime thought leaders together with columnists, politicians, and thinkers to J. Salik. Ms Tehmina Tariq fantastically sang poet Riaz-ur-Rehman Saghir’s 19-year-old music written to honour J. Salik. I can not consider how a lot tribute is sufficient as I haven’t come throughout a person who’s cherished a lot by so many for his priceless companies to humanity.”

He added that J. Salik was about to launch a worldwide interfaith marketing campaign from Washington DC in March 2023.

National

Govt detains PTI leaders, journalists to divert public consideration from inflation, unemployment: Asad

Published

4 hours ago

February 7, 2023

Pakistaneo.com

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) got here down laborious on the imported authorities for rising fascist tendency and rolling again the general public welfare initiatives taken by the PTI authorities one after the other amidst spiraling inflation.

PTI central Secretary Basic Asad Umar stated that the imported authorities has give you new methods to divert public consideration from the worst inflation within the historical past and rising unemployment within the nation.

He stated that the imported authorities resorted to detain PTI leaders and well-known journalists in order the media may focus on these points as an alternative of the ache and agony inflicted by the imported authorities throughout its brief few months rule.

PTI Senator and former finance minister Shaukat Tarin criticized the federal government for blocking Punjab Well being Card scheme and stated that the imported authorities was rolling again the initiatives taken by the PTI authorities to enhance the lives of the poor brethren one after the other.

“Kamyab Pakistan, Panahagahs, Ehsan ration and now flagship Sehat card had been rolled again,” he added. “Concurrently, the extravagant overseas journeys by a bloated cupboard proceed. Individuals of Pakistan is not going to forgive you for this,” Shaukat Tarin added.

National

Economic system to face challenges even after IMF deal, Miftah Ismail warns

Published

5 hours ago

February 7, 2023

Pakistaneo.com

ISLAMABAD: Former finance minister Miftah Ismail has predicted that issues on the financial entrance would “stay tight” even when the federal government manages to safe the Worldwide Financial Fund’s (IMF) bailout programme.

Pakistan — with a $350 billion financial system — is looking for an important instalment of $1.1 billion from the IMF to keep away from default.

“Issues will probably be tight for some time however we will get sufficient loans for now that we are going to get some room,” Miftah replied to a query requested throughout a query and reply session held by the previous monetary czar on the favored microblogging website, Twitter, on Sunday.

His response got here to the query: “If we safe the IMF’s tranche, will $1.1 billion be sufficient to handle financial challenges? As well as, even when we add some extra quantity from bilateral donors, who’re awaiting [the] IMF nod, our reserves will nonetheless proceed to dwindle due to exterior funds, then what’s the answer?”

The PML-N stalwart, nonetheless, stated that for the longer term “we’ve got to determine a option to export extra”.

Pakistan is spiralling deeper into disaster amid a scarcity of {dollars} and accelerating inflation, with reserves falling to a nine-year low.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is going through the troublesome job of convincing the IMF that the nation is able to implement different powerful measures, together with elevating taxes and gasoline costs.

Nevertheless, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier at the moment — whereas addressing the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Meeting in Muzaffarabad, — once more stated that the “nation is going through substantial monetary challenges”, with the IMF “combing each guide” and reviewing “all the things” and “each subsidy” in the course of the ongoing negotiations over the ninth assessment of the $6.5 billion mortgage programme.

Miftah — in response to a query relating to the financial injury triggered because of the delay within the resumption of the bailout programme — stated that Pakistan misplaced credibility within the eyes of worldwide gamers, which is “very expensive”.

“Plus we misplaced a number of billion {dollars} in remittance and exports and in misplaced loans. And at last, this delay resulted in lots of factories closing, shortages, and many others. So fairly a little bit of loss,” he added.

Replying to a different query relating to the final elections within the present financial situation, Miftah stated he doesn’t see how the polls can clear up the instant financial issues.

In September final 12 months, Dar changed Miftah after months of hypothesis that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif and Dar had been sad with a few of his key choices, particularly with regard to the gas value hike.