ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda on Wednesday accused the former Head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General (retd) Faiz Hameed of having benefited the most from the corruption case involving £190 million, the Express Tribune reported.
During the PTI government, Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) seized assets worth £190 million belonging to the property tycoon Malik Riaz.
The agency said the assets would be passed to the Pakistani government.
It added that the settlement with the Pakistani property tycoon was “a civil matter, and does not represent a finding of guilt”.
Later, then Prime Minister Imran Khan acquired approval of the settlement with the Britain’s crime agency from his Cabinet on December 3, 2019, without disclosing the details of the confidential agreement.
It was decided that the money would be submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of the tycoon.
However, according to allegations, the deposed premier and others allegedly adjusted Rs 50 billion – £190 million at the time – sent by the NCA to the government.
The ex-premier now faces charges of receiving undue benefits in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala in Sohawa to set up the Al-Qadir University in exchange for adjusting the money.
In a fiery slew of fresh allegations after his appearance at the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) today, Vawada claimed that ex-spymaster Hameed was not only involved in the corruption but was the “biggest beneficiary”.
“I was the only minister to have opposed the plans,” he said, “I told them there would be a NAB case over this.”
“People are naming Zulfi Bukhari and Shahzad Akbar in this matter but there is a name that everyone seems to have forgotten about, who just so happens to be the one to have taken the lion’s share in the scandal, and it is former DG ISI Faiz Hameed.
“He took full advantage of this scandal,” Vawda said. “His followers are present in the Senate to this date,” he added.
“Whether they are politicians or bureaucrats, everyone will be held accountable,” he continued, “I have simply led the nation to the tip of the iceberg.”
The ex-minister also said that he has submitted his statement to the anti-graft body investigating the matter.
“Billions of rupees were not gained overnight just like that, it was all planned,” he added.
“I had already warned that Faiz Hameed wants to eliminate Imran Khan and take his place,” he said, “the plan to cause harm to national assets and spread unrest was finalised long before May 9.”
