Former federal minister and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, has distanced himself from the ongoing National Crime Agency (NCA) £190 million scandal, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case. The case is being pursued by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against former prime minister Imran Khan and others.
In a written response to NAB, Sheikh Rasheed claimed that he was not present during the cabinet meeting where the issue of the trust was discussed. He stated that he had no information or evidence regarding the matter.
Sheikh Rasheed further mentioned that he had strained relations with Shahzad Akbar and was not on speaking terms with him. He clarified that he did not possess any evidence or documents related to the Al-Qadir Trust case.
It is worth mentioning that Sheikh Rasheed is among the senior members of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet who have been summoned by NAB regarding their alleged involvement in the illegal settlement of £190 million.
The Al-Qadir Trust case involves an investigation by NAB against Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and others for the alleged acquisition of hundreds of canals of land in the name of Al-Qadir University Trust, resulting in a reported loss of £190 million to the national exchequer.
According to the charges, the accused, including Khan, allegedly utilized Rs50 billion (equivalent to £190 million at the time) sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the government.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan had established the Al-Qadir University Project Trust on December 26, 2019.
NAB has renamed the case as the “National Crime Agency £190m Scandal” to reflect its investigation into the matter.