“Crisis Deepens: Arrest Warrants Issued as Shahzad Akbar and Malik Riaz Implicated in Corruption Scandal Cover-Up”
In a startling turn of events, alarming revelations have emerged from the investigation report regarding the 190 million-pound scam case involving former Prime Minister Imran Khan and others. The report exposes the disappearance of crucial correspondence records with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), which were held by the Asset Recovery Unit of the previous government.
The investigation report discloses that the missing records were related to a meeting between real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and former accountability adviser Shahzad Akbar. The meeting reportedly took place on July 11, 2019, as per records from the Prime Minister’s House.
According to the report, the vanished records, initially in the possession of Shahzad Akbar and Ziaul Mustafa Naseem, were state-owned and disappeared to conceal illicit activities. The disappearance of these records is alleged to be a deliberate attempt to obstruct the ongoing investigation into the 190 million-pound scam. The Cabinet Division conducted an inquiry, pinpointing Shahzad Akbar and Ziaul Mustafa Naseem as responsible for the loss of records.
The investigation report highlights the correspondence with the British NCA, as confirmed by Asset Recovery Unit Secretary Manzoor Kayani. The unit had written letters to Usman Ahmed, the country manager of the NCA, informing them about the 1 Hyde Park, London property and money laundering investigations. Subsequent to these letters, the NCA froze the UK bank accounts involved.
A significant revelation in the report pertains to a third letter dated April 18, 2019, which offered perplexing explanations to the NCA. Acting on Shahzad Akbar’s instructions, the NCA was informed that Malik Riaz had declared the 1 Hyde Park property, paid taxes according to Pakistani law, and asserted that no further action could be taken in Pakistan. This gave the impression to the British agency that no investigation was ongoing against Bahria Town.
More From Daily The Destination: Toshakhana case: Imran Khan’s withdrawal plea rejected by IHC
The report also claims that Shahzad Akbar submitted the “Deed of Confidentiality” to the NCA on November 6, 2019, before obtaining cabinet approval. The report alleges that the summary for cabinet approval was brought to the Prime Minister’s House “by hand,” and no record of its collection exists.
Recently, an accountability court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Shahzad Akbar, Malik Riaz, and four others in connection with the 190 million-pound scandal reference. The warrants also include individuals such as Ziaul Mustafa Naseem, former minister Zulfi Bukhari, Ahmed Ali Riaz, and Farhat Shehzadi alias Farah Gogi. In a separate development, a civil court in Islamabad declared Shahzad Akbar a “proclaimed offender” in the embezzlement case, citing his persistent non-appearance in court proceedings. Charges of fraud and other offenses had been filed against Akbar at the Secretariat Police Station in Islamabad.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.