ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar on Monday said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leadership was running away from the 190 million pound corruption case because they knew that their hands were not clean and they were involved in the scam.

Addressing a press conference along with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Senator Talal Chaudhry, he said there was no example in the history that billions of rupees were waived like this, as the black money was whitened through creation of a fraudulent trust.

He said the 190 million pounds case was a classic example of “robbing Peter to pay Paul”.

The minister said the verdict in the 190 million pound case was supposed to be announced on Monday, but the accused failed to appear in the court.

Tarar says verdict in case was supposed to be announced on Monday, but the accused failed to appear in court

The minister said the PTI leadership had made a habit of not appearing in courts.

He said the PTI had also used delaying tactics for six years in the foreign funding case. Similarly, he said in the Toshakhana case, they also used delaying tactics and sought adjustments after adjustments.

“Sometimes the PTI leaders changed lawyers, sometimes they changed the letters of attorney,” the minister remarked. He said innocent people never change attorneys and lawyers but it has been the practice of the PTI to use delaying tactics in court cases.

He asked why the PTI needed to take a sealed envelope to the cabinet meeting and get its approval without opening it when it was in power.

He alleged that the then cabinet approved the £190m deal without knowing the facts in the sealed envelope brought by Shahzad Akbar. He said it was a mega corruption case in the history of Pakistan.

“It was not just a coincidence, it was a well-thought-out plan”, he said.

The minister said the PTI chief also rebuilt his house in Lahore from the mega corruption. Billions of rupees were collected from the person whose billions of rupees were written off by the federal cabinet, he said.

Replying to a question, the minister said the founder of PTI was in jail but why his spouse Bushra Bibi did not turn up in the court.

He said it was the discretion of the concerned judge to decide whether to announce the verdict in the presence of the accused or otherwise.

He said the PTI leadership was divided now and they did not see eye to eye on many matters.

Mr Tarar remarked that the PTI had sown the seeds of mistrust and hatred among the nation but it was itself reaping its harvest.

He said the judge could issue warrants for mandatory presence of an accused during the trial only.

To another question, he said Farha Gogi was wanted in many cases but she was a co-accused in this case, whereas the PTI founder was the main accused.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2025