LAHORE – Former Secretary General of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and business tycoon Jahangir Khan Tareen on Saturday demanded impartial probe in alleged fraud and money laundering cases.
Talking to the newsmen outside Lahore’s Sessions Court, he alleged that the FIRs were drafted in Islamabad and transported to Lahore in a USB for registration. The Sessions Court extended interim bail of PTI stalwart and his son Ali Tareen till April 22. Banking Court extended bail till April 17.
A group of PTI MNAs, MPAs, Ministers and Advisers to CM Punjab accompanied Jahangir Khan Tareen from his residence to the courts for expressing solidarity. MNA Raja Riaz, Provincial Ministers Nauman Langrial and Ajmal Cheema, MPAs Nazir Chohan, Iftikhar Gondal, Amin Chaudhry, Khurram Laghari, Aun Chaudhry and others.
Jahangir Tareen said that he would appear whenever the court summons him. He brushed aside rumours of leaving the party, saying he was and would remain part of the PTI. “I am in the party and will remain in the party. PTI belong to every worker. I am the PTI and as such where else I can go “, he raised the question. He alleged that the investigators were taking directions from Islamabad on telephone.
Pre-arrest bail of JKT, son extended in three cases
He said that the investigations should not be done by taking orders on telephone. “I want to make it clear that I will appear before the court and will clear my name”, he added.
Tareen alleged that the team conducting investigation against him is not fair as it was made on a phone call. He demanded formation of a new and impartial investigation team. “I am not afraid of inquiries. They should conduct inquiries but team should be neutral. We are ready and are not running away from the law”, he said. He extended gratitude to PTI lawmakers and leaders for extending moral support.
Raja Riaz expressed complete solidarity with Jahangir Khan Tareen. However, he maintained that his captain was Imran Khan. He said that the lawmakers who are supporting Tareen are not blackmailers but are sympathetic to the PTI and wanted to make the party stronger.
Those who are conspiring against Jahangir Tareen are conspiring against Imran Khan, he added. He asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to evaluate cases against JKT as he believed some people were involved in victimization of loyal leader. He claimed that Tareen is facing false cases registered against him in court.
He reiterated “our captain is Imran Khan and we seek justice from him and the PTI”. Nauman Langrial said that it was Tareen who brought them to the PTI and gave respect. He vowed to stay with Tareen in a bid to make party stronger.
Nazir Chohan questioned the role of adviser to PM on Accountability Shahzad Akbar. He claimed that people sitting left and right to the PM are conspiring against him. He said that all of the lawmakers had decided that they will speak to PM Imran Khan and will seek justice. He questioned the qualifications of Shahzad Akbar in comparison to an elected lawmaker. Chohan dismissed rumours that the lawmakers supporting JKT would make a forward bloc in Punjab. He said their life and death is with Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, Politician and industrialist Jahangir Tareen and his son Ali Tareen on Saturday got extension in their interim bail from two courts in three cases registered against them by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in connection with sugar scam.
Earlier, the two along with their counsel appeared before Additional District and Sessions Judge Hamid Hussain on expiry of their interim bail. The counsel for petitioners argued before the court that on April 9, his clients appeared before the FIA on being summoned. It appears that the FIA will summon them again, he added. He also requested the court to delay the next hearing for long time in view of coronavirus pandemic.
At this stage, the court questioned whether the FIA had any objection on its jurisdiction in the cases.
To this, a representative of the FIA stated that the agency did not have any objection on jurisdiction of the court. However, he pleaded with the court to direct the accused for joining the investigations.
Subsequently, the court directed the FIA to apprise about the role attributed to the accused and asked Tareen and his son to join the investigations, besides extending their interim bail in two cases till April 22.
Meanwhile, a special court of banking offence also extended interim bail of Jahangir Tareen and Ali Tareen till April 17 in third case. Judge Ameer Muhammad Khan conducted the case proceedings. The counsel for petitioners argued before the court that the two appeared before the FIA and joined investigations. He submitted that his clients would provide further documents to the agency on next appearance.
However, an assistant director legal on behalf the FIA raised objection on jurisdiction of the court, saying that it was not empower to hear the matter. At this, the court sought arguments from parties on issue of jurisdiction and extended interim bail of the two till April 17.
The FIA had registered a total of three FIRs against Jahangir Tareen, his son Ali Tareen, and others under charges of money laundering, misappropriation of shareholders money and fraud in the sugar scam.
Two FIRs were registered under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating of public shareholders) and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), read with sections 3/4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
In third case, it was alleged that accused Tareen fraudulently misappropriated money of shareholders after his company (JDW group) transferred Rs.3.14 billion to an associated private company identified as Farooqi Pulp Private Limited (FPML). The FIR stated that the private company is owned by his sons and close relatives.
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