Islamabad: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has stated that the verdict in the Al-Qadir Trust case, involving a sum of 190 million pounds, is both lawful and merit-based. Speaking to media persons outside the parliament house alongside Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attaullah Tarar emphasized that the founder of PTI failed to demonstrate his innocence in the case. He noted that leading lawyers and neutral experts have also described the verdict as compliant with the law.
According to Radio Pakistan, Attaullah Tarar expressed regret over the use of religious sentiments in the case, stating that corruption cannot be concealed by such means. He described the Al-Qadir Trust case as one of the largest corruption cases in the country’s history and criticized the defense counsel for contesting the case on political rather than merit-based grounds. The verdict, he said, highlighted the defense’s inability to present evidence of innocence or adequately respond to the prosecution’s evidence.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, on the occasion, remarked that the Al-Qadir Trust case is unequivocally straightforward, labeling it a heinous act of corruption with unprecedented volume. Meanwhile, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal remarked at a news conference that the judgment confirms PTI founder Imran Khan as a corrupt politician.
Ahsan Iqbal further elaborated that the PTI founder misappropriated 190 million pounds, originally given to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency. Instead of depositing the amount into the national treasury, it was placed in a Supreme Court account set up for receiving fines from a property tycoon. He also criticized PTI leaders for propagating religious narratives to absolve their party’s founder.
Ahsan Iqbal urged the youth and supporters of PTI’s founder, who initially aimed to build a new Pakistan, to align with the PML-N in transforming the country into a modern economy for the 21st century.