Khawaja Asif fails to satisfy NAB: Shahzad Akbar

ISLAMABAD, Jan 02 (DNA): Advisor to Prime Minister on Accountability and
Interior Shahzad Akbar has said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
(PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif has failed to satisfy National
Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Talking to media persons along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister
on Youth Affairs Usman Dar, Barrister Shahzad Akbar has said that
Khawaja Asif had assets worth Rs5.1 million in 1993 and the PML-N leader
has no proof of Rs2.2 million monthly income he received from UAE.

He said the assets of former federal minister Khawaja Asif multiplied in
various cities of the country especially during his stint as minister in
PML-N’s tenure. In 1993, Khawaja had only Rs 5.1 million assets that too
was in shape of his inherited house.
The declared assets of Khawaja Asif touched Rs 118 million mark in the
2013 but on query he failed to explain any legitimate reason of the
increase in assets.

Khawaja Asif had been receiving 2.2 million rupees per month salary from
a Dubai firm during his stint a minister in Pakistan from 2013-18. He
claimed receiving a sum of Rs 140 million in five years as salary in
cash.

Khawaja was perhaps world’s only employee who received millions in cash
as salary. Later Khawaja transferred that amount from his Dubai account
to Pakistan through Telegraphic Transfer (TT). Obviously which was not a
legitimate source.

Furthermore the salary payment to Khawaja Asif was stopped with the
completion of the five years term of (PML-N) Pakistan Muslim League
Nawaz. Khawaja Asif purchased a Rs 80 million plot in Gujranwala
September 2014 and sold to same party after few months to Rs 40 million.

Khwaja Asif also claimed selling a plot adjacent to his home in Sialkot
at Rs 125 million, he said adding, the cheque of the sale agreement was
showing Nov 28,2018 as date of payment.

After investigation it was transpired that the same bank was bogus as
the same cheque was issued by the relevant bank three months after the
sale deed. Interestingly the sale plot was still in custody of Khawaja
Asif.

Another Rs 150 million transaction of rice export was proved bogus.
Khawaja failed to explain the source of that transaction.

No source was explained of the transactions of Rs 507 million from the
year 2009 to 2018, he said adding that proving corruption was difficult
in the absence of documented economy.

Shahzad Akbar said under the law, unexplained wealth of a public office
holder was perceived to be corruption. Responding to a question, he
lauded the performance of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for
making record recoveries as comparing to recoveries made during  PML-N
regime by same NAB.

To another question, he said an inquiry committee headed by Senior
Superintendent of Police has been constituted to probe Islamabad
incident in which the police allegedly killed a student the other day.
Judicial inquiry of same case could also be conducted if required. He
said he has recommended legislation for improving performance of
Islamabad police.

Dispelling the impression that the government was committing political
victimization of its opponents, Usman Dar said the investigation,
carried out by the departments concerned including National
Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency, had completely
exposed the corruption of Khawaja Asif.

He said if that was the political victimization then it could have done
some two and half years ago when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf came into
power. “Political victimization did not take two and half years,” he
added.

The SAPM hoped that investigation of the concerned agencies would surely
bring more evidences before the nation about the corruption, committed
by Khawaja Asif.

Recalling his legal conflict against Khawaja Asif, Usman Dar said he had
moved to the Election Commission of Pakistan against him and submitted a
copy of his contract with a United Arab Emirates-based private company
to the Islamabad High Court that led to his disqualification.

However, the PML-N leader got relief from the apex court due to various
reasons, he added.  Usman Dar said there would be no such example in the
world that a defence minister of a country had a contract with a foreign
company and drawing 50,000 dirham salary per month. This could only
happen in Pakistan where people like Khwaja Asif considered themselves
above the law.

Referring to the senior PML-N leadership, he said all of them including
Shehbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar and Nawaz Sharif had followed the same model,
adopted in Hudaibiya Paper Mills case to commit corruption.

The country’s institutions were weakened when its prime minister and
ministers committed corruption, he remarked while pointing out massive
corruption during the PML-N regime.

He asked Khawaja Asif to fight his case in the court and produce
evidence instead of questioning the fair accountability process, being
carried out in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran
Khan.

Usman Dar reiterated Prime Minister Imran Khan’s stance that the corrupt
leaders would not get NRO-like concession under his rule. He said
opposition only wanted to evade the accountability process as it did
during the FATF legislation by proposing amendments in the NAB
ordinance.

The SAPM said the opposition would never succeed in misleading the
nation with their lies.
He said the nation had seen Ishaq Dar interview with the British
Broadcasting Corporation’s anchor in which he failed to produce any
concrete evidence to justify his claims. DNA

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