Attaullah Tarar Criticizes PTI Founder in £190 Million Corruption Case Verdict

ISLAMABAD, Jan 17 (Alliance News) – Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage, and Culture, Attaullah Tarar, on Friday criticized the defense counsel in the £190 million corruption case, accusing them of failing to provide evidence to counter the prosecution’s claims.

Speaking alongside Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar outside Parliament House, the minister described the case as the largest corruption scandal in Pakistan’s history.

Tarar said the court’s verdict highlighted the inability of the defense counsel to prove the innocence of the accused or challenge the prosecution’s evidence of bribery, corruption, and misuse of power.

He accused the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of relying on political arguments rather than legal evidence in court.

He criticized PTI for using religion as a shield in political and legal matters, asserting that in this case, the party attempted to hide behind religious rhetoric.

He further alleged that a house in Lahore’s Zaman Park was constructed with money confiscated by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and returned to Pakistan.

According to Tarar, the Al-Qadir Trust was established to launder black money obtained through corruption and bribery.

He claimed that the defense would have to prove that the cabinet meeting agenda did not include the matter and no house was built in Lahore using those funds.

Tarar lamented the irony that the confiscated money, which the NCA returned to the Pakistan government, was ultimately given back to the individual from whom it was seized.

He asserted that corruption, bribery, and misuse of authority had been conclusively proven by the prosecution.

He added that the court sentenced the accused after fulfilling all legal requirements.

The verdict, he said, was delivered on merit, with the accused failing to establish their innocence. Reputed lawyers and neutral analysts have reportedly validated the fairness of the decision.

The minister revealed that the government possesses documents from the Asset Recovery Unit led by Shahzad Akbar.

These documents indicate that the £190 million recovered by the NCA was the amount handed over to the Pakistan government, substantiating claims of corruption.