ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday condemned what he described as regrettable and shameful attempts by supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to defend their leader Imran Khan, even after he was proven corrupt and convicted in the £190 million graft case.

In a statement, the minister said that the PTI founder built his entire political campaign around the corruption card and lured people toward him with promises of transparency and accountability.

He regretted that PTI supporters had “turned a blind eye to Imran Khan’s corrupt practices”, adding that “the duplicity and hypocrisy of PTI are laid bare as they defend a leader who, rather than confronting the grave breach of trust, resorts to religious or anti-establishment narratives to deflect criticism”.

Mr Iqbal said some clear and undeniable facts, including Britain’s National Crime Agency, had returned £190m to Pakistan, which was supposed to be deposited in the national treasury for public benefit. Instead of depositing this money in the national treasury, Mr Khan transferred these funds to benefit his ally, the famous property tycoon Malik Riaz. The money was deposited in a Supreme Court account that was created to pay the fine imposed on Malik Riaz.

Tarar says judicial verdict has confirmed corruption charges against Imran

In return, the minister said, the PTI founder received personal benefits from Malik Riaz, adding that “even if these benefits are ignored, transferring state funds for personal purposes is an unforgivable crime”.

He recalled that a leading British daily, The Financial Times, had published a detailed report on July 28, 2022, exposing Mr Khan’s corruption in using charitable funds for his political campaigns. To date, Mr Khan has not taken any legal action against the newspaper, which raises serious questions about his innocence, he added.

Tarrar says corrupt face of PTI exposed Federal Minister for Infor­mation, Broadcasting, National Heritage, and Culture Attaullah Tarar said that judicial verdict has confirmed allegations of corruption against the PTI founder, claiming it as the largest financial scandal in the country’s history.

Speaking at the inauguration of developmental projects in the NA-127 constituency in Lahore, Mr Tarar claimed that economic development and public relief remain the government’s top priorities.

Mr Tarar said PML-N is a people-centric party which is dedicated to resolving public issues.

“We are tirelessly working to fulfil our election promises,” he said. Highlighting the government’s efforts, he noted that inflation, which was at 38 per cent last year, has decreased to 3.9pc, and foreign investment is steadily increasing.

Referring to the £190m corruption scandal, he criticised the PTI leadership for approving significant financial misappropriations behind closed doors.

“They manipulated funds meant for the state, used religion as a cover, and indulged in personal luxuries, including acquiring expensive properties and jewellery,” he said.

He challenged the PTI’s legal team to refute allegations and questioned the credibility of the religious education initiatives at Al Qadir Trust.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2025