Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan likely to skip National Accountability Bureau appearance: Report

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is likely to not appear at National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday. He would submit a written response to the questionnaire, Geo News reported citing sources.

The NAB had summoned former Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan in connection with a probe related to a £190m settlement from the UK at 10 am today. According to Geo News sources, Imran Khan’s legal team has advised him not to be present in NAB in a personal capacity and instead to submit a written response to the 20 questions asked in connection with the corruption case, which also involves a property tycoon.

NAB Rawalpindi chapter summoned Imran Khan and several other PTI leaders in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 18, Geo News reported. In its notice, the anti-graft body called for details of the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) 2019 probe into assets worth £190 million from Imran Khan who has been granted bail in this case.

The National Accountability Bureau asked Imran Khan to bring details regarding the NCA investigation and all documents related to the Al-Qadir University including land papers, trust deeds, and bank statements, as per the news report. It also warned the former Pakistan PM of legal action in case of non-compliance with the summon.

Earlier on May 17, the Islamabad High Court extended its order against his arrest till May 31, Geo News reported. This development came during the hearing of PTI’s plea seeking details of all the cases filed against the party chief claiming that he is booked in more than 100 cases. The court has adjourned the hearing till May 31.

On May 12, the cricketer-turned-politician was granted a blanket relief from different benches of IHC that not only barred the authorities from arresting him but also stayed his trial in the Toshakhana case until the second week of June, reported Geo News. On the same day, a separate IHC bench accepted Khan’s bail in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

It had stopped authorities from arresting the PTI chief till May 17 in any case registered in Islamabad after May 9. Imran Khan was arrested from the IHC premises by paramilitary forces on May 9, which triggered violent protests across the country. (ANI)