PTI leader Aleem Khan remanded in NAB custody for 10 days

LAHORE (92 News) – Accountability Court Judge Najamul Hassan Bukhari remanded PTI leader Aleem Khan in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for 10 days on Friday. The NAB had sought his 15-day remand. The court expressed his indignation at PTI workers’ slogan of ‘shame’ against the NAB. Aleem Khan’s counsel stated that the NAB is distorting the facts. “Aleem Khan has provided all details to the NAB which is deliberately using different tactics,” he said. The court questioned the NAB prosecutor about the investigation conducted during the nine-day remand of Aleem Khan. The NAB prosecutor told court that 31 witnesses were called and only seven witnesses appeared before them. He alleged that Aleem Khan was not cooperating with them. The NAB prosecutor said that Aleem Khan was the secretary cooperative in 2000 and later remained an MPA and a minister from 2003-2007. “During this period, the accused purchased 900 kanals of land and mad offshore companies in London and Dubai. A company in London was made for 300,000 pounds, but it was not disclosed,” he said. Talking to the media after the hearing, Aleem Khan said that his name was not on the Panama list. “My father was a professional banker and had the real estate business. My father lived in Gulberg and sent me to Canada for education. No corruption allegation was leveled against me. What had the NAB been doing during the last 10 years when I was not a minister?” he said. Aleem Khan said that the NAB was terming him accused on the basis of the Panama documents. According to the Lahore NAB, Aleem Khan was arrested for owning assets beyond his known sources of income. Aleem Khan faces multiple inquiries, including one involving offshore company Hexam Investment Overseas Ltd, one for owning assets beyond his known sources of income, and inquiries into his involvement in the Park View Housing Society and River Age Housing Society. The NAB alleged that Khan had misused his authority as secretary general of the Park View Housing Society and as a past member of the provincial assembly, abusing his position to acquire assets beyond his known sources of income. The NAB had in January 2018 sought the record and details of offshore companies reportedly established in tax havens abroad by Aleem Khan and PML-Q's Chaudhry Moonis Elahi. A Mutual Legal Assistance report pertaining to Khan's case was provided to NAB Lahore earlier in January this year, following which the PTI leader was summoned on Feb 6. According to the press release, Aleem Khan had started a real estate business in which he invested tens of millions of rupees. He bought 900 kanals of land and a further 600 kanals of land through a company set up for this purpose, A&A Private Ltd. However, according to the accountability bureau, the PTI leader was unable to show the sources of income with which he purchased the land. The NAB further alleged that Khan set up multiple offshore companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Britain in 2005 and 2006, using them to purchase assets that cannot be explained by his means.