Punjab government spokesperson Malik Ahmed Khan on Tuesday dubbed Faisal Subhan, director of Capital Construction and Engineering Ltd, a "suspicious character" in an interview to GeoNews' programme Geo Pakistan.
Subhan, who is accused of involvement in corruption in the Multan Metro Bus Project (MMBP), recently went 'missing' after allegations surfaced that he had transferred money to the Punjab chief minister’s (CM) personal accounts.
According to media reports last year, Capital Construction and Engineering Ltd, a subcontractor of the MMBP, had been involved in laundering money along with Chinese company Jiangsu Yabaite Technology.
Allegations of corruption against CM Punjab had subsequently emerged. A report on ARY News had accused Sharif of receiving more than Rs10 million in kickbacks from the MMBP.
However, Sharif had declared in a subsequent press conference that the company "did not exist" and told the media house to "fear God" before making such claims.
He had also vehemently denied any corruption charges against him.
The reports circulating at the time had suggested that case had been picked up by Chinese regulatory authorities after it detected unusual sums of money flowing into Jiangsu Yabaite Technology's accounts. Allegedly, during the investigation, the Chinese company had claimed that it had received the money through Capital Construction and Engineering Ltd for the MMBP. On further investigation, the Chinese board had allegedly discovered that the company in Pakistan belonged to Sharif.
Chinese authorities had then sent their findings, along with a letter signed by CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and another signed by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), the reports stated.
The developments of the case, however, were apparently kept so secret that then SECP chairman Zafar Hijazi did not even inform the finance minister about it.
Since the case came into the limelight, however, opposition parties have been after the Punjab government and SECP to 'reveal' the details.
Yesterday, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan and leader Fawad Chaudhry had expressed concern for Subhan's safety after he allegedly disappeared. Chaudhry had said that the party was planning to approach the Supreme Court if the missing man was not found
Addressing the PTI chief's statements, Malik said today that Imran has "hallucinations" that lead him to make such statements.
Malik claimed that Subhan had collaborated with a man named Aijaz Sheikh and created a fake company. He further accused Subhan of creating fake documents for Capital Construction and Engineering Ltd and declaring himself as the firm's sole proprietor.
Last year, Shahbaz Sharif himself had declared that the company did not exist, Malik said.
Malik claimed that the Chinese regulatory authorities had detected suspicious activity by the company and informed the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The Chinese regulatory authority had also attached a letter signed by CM Sharif and another signed by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Malik confirmed, but both letters were forged, he claimed.
He also dismissed the opposition's insinuations that the Punjab government was protecting Subhan and his accomplices.
The opposition was creating a "false impression" he said.
