Imran Khan
Imran Khan, a former prime minister of Pakistan, has been called in for questioning in a corruption case involving the deceptive acquisition of more than 5,000 kanals (625 acres) of land in the Punjab region of the nation for pennies on the dollar.
According to a spokesman for the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Saturday, the Layyah land corruption case has issued summonses to Khan, his sister Uzma Khan, and her husband Ahad Majeed.
According to The Express Tribune newspaper, the 70-year-old leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been ordered to appear at the ACE headquarters on June 19, and Uzma and her husband have been told to appear before ACE DG Khan.
Khan was previously called by the ACE on June 16 but failed to show up. It stated that the summons was posted at Khan’s Zaman Park mansion in Lahore.
According to the spokesperson, the ACE has “clear evidence” of Khan’s involvement in the Layyah corruption affair. She also stated that pressure was used to the revenue officials of Bani Gala, where Khan resides in Islamabad, about an unauthorised land transfer.
Uzma is charged with fraud after allegedly paying about Rs 130 million for 5,261 kanals of land in the Layyah area, which is purportedly worth billions of rupees. The ACE reported that the couple had been the subject of a FIR.
The spokesperson claimed that the land was purchased in 2021–2022, adding that Uzma and Majeed performed a fraudulent land transfer in their names.
According to him, the land had a market worth of roughly Rs 6 billion, and the acquisition was made shortly after the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced funding for the Greater Thal Canal project, which aims to irrigate dry territory through Thal Canal.
According to the spokeswoman, Uzma was aware of the project beforehand, and the pair coerced the landowners into selling to them.
According to him, Uzma and others have been accused by the landowners of acquiring their property under duress.
The ACE reported last week that the suspect had “stolen” 500 kanals of locals’ long-time residents’ land by utilising political clout.
The spokesperson promised an investigation into the involvement of additional government employees in the fraud.
On Sunday, Khan was detained in relation to the Layyah land corruption investigation.
Since he was removed from office as Pakistan’s prime minister in April of last year, the total number of cases against him has increased to above 140.
The majority of Khan’s trials involve terrorism, inciting public disorder, arson attacks, blasphemy, attempted murder, corruption, and fraud.
The former cricketer who became a politician was removed from office after losing a vote of no confidence in him, which he claimed was a result of a US-led plot to assassinate him for having an independent foreign policy on Russia, China, and Afghanistan.
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