Ayyan hits back at Imran over money laundering allegations

Model Ayyan Ali hit back at former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan for claiming that PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari was behind the murder of the custom official allegedly investigating the money laundering case against the model in 2015.

The model-cum-singer in a series of tweets said she fought and won “false cases” at the age of 20. “I hope you [Imran] will not panic… let's see how many days you endure.”

She said investigating office in her case was inspector Saleem “who is alive and is in good health”.

Ayyan was arrested on March 14, 2015, on the charges of money laundering after Customs officials recovered $506,000 from her luggage at the Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport before she could board a flight to Dubai.

A Customs court in November 2015 indicted Ayyan for attempting to smuggle out more than $500,000, to which she pleaded ‘not guilty’.

Also read: Request for inquiry against Ayyan Ali rejected

She was granted bail in July 2015 after spending nearly four months in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail — and after her judicial remand was extended at least 16 times.

In 2016, the widow of a slain customs inspector who would have been a key prosecution witness in the money laundering case against Ayyan Ali alleged that the model was responsible for the murder.

Saima Ejaz, the widow of Customs Inspector Chaudhry Ejaz Mahmood, stated that Ayyan was responsible for murder of her husband and her name needed to be put on the Exit Control List. She further said that the police needed to investigate her in the murder case.