ISLAMABAD: Just a day after ex-premier Imran Khan’s claim about his assassination plot, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary leader in Sindh Khurram Sher Zaman has claimed that he is aware of the murderer of the Customs officer who caught top model Ayyan Ali.

In a separate development, former minister for planning and development Asad Umar claimed that the financial situation was continuously deteriorating and Pakistan was following in the footsteps of crisis-hit Sri Lanka.

Speaking at a news conference, Khurram Zaman said he was aware of the murder of the officer who caught the top model for alleged money laundering.

In March 2015, Ayyan Ali was arrested at Islamabad airport just before boarding a flight to Dubai for alleged money laundering, as Customs officials recovered over $500,000 from her luggage. Three months later, Customs officer Chaudhry Ejaz Mahmood, who would have been a key prosecution witness in the money laundering case against her, was killed by unidentified attackers in Rawalpindi. In 2016, his widow accused the model of his murder.

Pakistan heading to Lanka-like crisis situation, warns Asad

Accompanied by other PTI leaders Shahzad Qureshi and Seema Zia, Khurram Sher Zaman told the media in Islamabad on Sunday that it was unfortunate that cases of terrorism were being registered against those who spoke against the Sindh government. He alleged that police raided the house of Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh on Mr Zardari’s direction.

“Pakistan Peoples Party is no more Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s party. Now it has become a party of Asif Zardari. The PTI will get overwhelming majority during the local bodies’ elections in Sindh. It is unfortunate that cases of terrorism are being registered against those who speak against the Sindh government,” he said.

Mr Zaman alleged that the Sindh police were “incompetent” and failed to arrest criminals and murderers. He alleged that the ex-president was responsible for the mismanagement and continuously deteriorating situation in the province.

Separately, while criticising economic policies of the incumbent government, Asad Umar said just within a month, the ‘imported government’ had broken a three-year record of price hike. “Foreign reserves have been decreased by $6 billion which is a 37 per cent reduction. Our government had withdrawn tax on petroleum products to give relief to the masses, but the current government’s bad policies increased inflation to highest number of last 11 years. Despite that current year’s growth rate will be around 6pc,” he said.

“On the other hand, the incumbent government has increased interest rate from 12pc to 15pc within just one month. Those who used to malign army are sitting in the cabinet. Because of bad policies, Pakistan is following in the footsteps of Sri Lanka,” he said.

Also, PTI leader Hammad Azhar said the government that had criticised Imran Khan for keeping petrol prices stable was not able to increase prices. “Even a shop cannot be run the way government is running the country,” he said.

In a separate development, the Lahore Bar Association has invited PTI chairman Imran Khan to address the lawyers’ fraternity on May 18.

Meanwhile, Mr Khan congratulated Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan on becoming the UAE president. “My warm felicitations to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan on being elected UAE president. It is his vision that is already transforming the UAE into a leading economic and political player on the global stage. As the PM, I saw firsthand his brotherly affection for Pakistan,” he tweeted.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2022