ISLAMABAD, Sept 5: The Employees Old-age Benefits Institution (EOBI) has said that none of its properties, buildings or open plots have ever been occupied by workers of any political party anywhere in the country.

In its reaction to a story based on proceedings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and published in this newspaper on Wednesday, the EOBI said all its properties were “protected and secured by proper security guards”.

The Dawn story had quoted EOBI Director General Wahid Khurshid Kanwar as telling a meeting of the PAC that “sectors in charge of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement are behind occupation of shops at the EOBI House and other properties of the institution in Karachi”.

MQM VERSION: The MQM termed the statement of Mr Kanwar ‘baseless’ and a ‘pack of lies’. The party said its leader, MNA Waseem Akhtar, met the chairman of the PAC, Nadeem Afzal Gondal, on Wednesday and condemned Mr Kanwar’s statement.

“MNA Akhtar termed the report baseless and a pack of lies in his meeting with the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. He said the report was aimed at maligning the MQM and highly condemnable,” the statement said.