Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested on Tuesday from the premises of Islamabad High Court in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The cricketer-turned-politician has been facing several corruption cases and he was present at the Islamabad HC for a hearing in one of the cases, when he was taken into custody by the police and paramilitary force.
The arrest of Imran Khan, along with several of his close aides, including real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, is linked to the establishment of Al-Qadir University. The charges against Khan and his associates include receiving undue benefits in the form of over 458 acres of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, for the university. The project was meant to offer quality education in Jhelum, Punjab.
It’s alleged that the Al-Qadir Trust scam involved Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, who headed the Trust and aides Zulfiqar Bukhari and Babar Awan. According to Islamabad Police, the PTI Chief and his wife obtained billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from a real estate firm for legalising Rs 50 billion that was identified and returned to the country by the United Kingdom during the tenure of Imran Khan as PM, a Dawn report said.
Here are the big names involved in the Al-Qadir Trust scam:
Malik Riaz, a prominent Pakistani business magnate and real estate developer, is the founder and chairman of Bahria Town, one of Pakistan's largest real estate developers. He is considered one of the richest men in Pakistan and has been involved in various philanthropic and charitable activities. Riaz's alleged involvement in the corruption case stems from a deal he sealed with the then PTI government, which reportedly led to a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer.
Bushra Bibi is Imran Khan's third wife and she is the head of the Al-Qadir Trust. The trust was established in 2018 when Imran Khan was in office. She has been involved in various philanthropic activities and played a role in the establishment of Al-Qadir University, which was built to be devoted as a centre of spirituality and Islamic teachings. It’s alleged that the trust was a front to receive valuable land as a bribe from the real estate tycoon, Malik Riaz Hussain.
Zulfiqar Bukhari, also known as Zulfi Bukhari, is a British-Pakistani businessman and close friend of Imran Khan. He served as a special assistant to Khan for overseas Pakistanis and human resource development during his tenure as Prime Minister. Bukhari has been accused of receiving undue benefits in the form of land for the establishment of Al-Qadir University.
Babar Awan is a senior lawyer and politician, who has served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He is a close aide of Imran Khan and has been involved in various legal and political activities. Awan is also named as one of the office bearers of the Al-Qadir Trust.
First Published: May 10, 2023 1:05 PM IST
