ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan admitted on Saturday that an amount invested abroad by the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT) had not been returned to the trust’s account when he filed a defamation suit against PML-N leader Khawaja Asif in 2012.

The PTI chairman said this while testifying before an Islamabad district and sessions court in the Rs10 billion damages suit he had filed against Mr Asif for allegations regarding SKMT’s financial affairs.

During Saturday’s hearing, Mr Asif’s counsel concluded the cross-examination of Mr Khan, who joined the proceeding via a video link. The case was heard by Additional District and Sessions Judge Umeed Ali Baloch.

In response to a question, Mr Khan said the SKMT invested $3m in 2008 and the amount was returned in 2015. He said the amount was held with Imtiaz Haideri, chief executive of HBG Group, who was part of the committee that approved the investment.

Mr Khan admitted that the amount had not been returned to the SKMT account at the time when the lawsuit was filed against Mr Asif.

He further said, “Imtiaz Haideri has remained Shaukat Khanum Hospital’s donor for the past 16 years. I do not know if Imtiaz Haideri was PTI’s donor as well or not.”

In response to a question whether he knew the investment was made through two offshore companies, Mr Khan replied that he was not aware of decisions taken by the SKMT board.

Mr Khan, however, said he had received the information through an audit report. He denied any loss incurred due to the investment and said that the funds were invested in the “larger interest of the hospital”.

He also told the court that he was aware of the article published in Financial Times regarding his fundraising through cricket matches.

The report had alleged that fees were paid to Wootton Cricket Ltd, which, despite the name, was in fact a Cayman Islands-incorporated company owned by Abraaj Group founder Arif Naqvi and the money was used to bankroll the PTI.

“I had participated in the Wootton T20 Cup for donations,” Mr Khan said during the cross-examination. “The dinner was not organised by the Wootton Cricket Club. I just know that Arif Naqvi organised a dinner for the PTI.”

The PTI chief said he did not send the newspaper a legal notice because the article was against Mr Naqvi.

The court set the next hearing for March 4.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2023