Islamabad (Web Desk): Interior Minister Rana Sanulla Khan on Tuesday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's arrest has been made in accordance with law.
Sharing the details of Khan's arrest during a press conference in Islamabad, the interior minister said that the former premier had been arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case for embezzling an amount of Rs60 billion.
The minister said that the United Kingdom's (UK) agencies have traced ill-gotten money worth 190 million pounds of a property tycoon, which actually belonged to the people of Pakistan.
He said that 190 million pounds equal to 60 billion rupees had to be repatriated to the national exchequer of Pakistan, but it was adjusted in Supreme Court’s (SC) account.
"What an irony it was that the apex court did not take notice of the adjustment of this big amount.
Giving further detail of the corruption in the name of Al-Qadir Trust, Rana Sanaullah said over 450 kanal of land situated in Sohawa and another piece of land measuring 224 Kanal in Banigala were registered in the name of this trust.
He said it is worth noting that Imran Khan and his spouse are sole trustees of this property.
Rana Sanaullah further said it has been disclosed that 240 kanal land in Bannigala was registered in the name of Imran Khan’s front-woman Farah Gogi, who was the closed confidante of the then prime minister and his wife.
"In this way Farah Gogi also grabbed Rs7 billion, while another frontman of Imran Khan namely Shehzad Akbar also looted Rs2 billion," the minister said.
He added that Shehzad Akbar is now absconding in London and Dubai.
The minister said that Farah Gogi was involved in transferring Rs12 billion abroad through banking channels and investigation agencies were also investigating this matter.
Rana Sanullah said Imran Khan inflicted a loss of Rs60 billion on the national exchequer and the NAB is investigating the corruption cases against the PTI chief.
He said that NAB had first served a notice on Imran Khan to join the investigation, but he challenged the notice in the high court, which too asked the PTI chief to cooperate with the investigation agencies and join the inquiry.
"Despite all this Imran Khan remained stubborn and did not appear before the NAB. Consequently, the anti-graft body had to arrest him," Rana Sanaullah said.
He said that NAB is an independent institution and government has no influence on its functioning.
Responding to a question about PTI workers' protest against the arrest, the interior minister said that said no one will be allowed to take law into their hands.