Imran alleges 'London Plan' behind convictions

ISLAMABAD:

Incarcerated PTI supremo and former prime minister Imran Khan has told an accountability court that convictions against him and his family members were intended to pressure him and prevent his participation in politics.

He stated that his political party had become a challenge for political rivals, threatening their hold on power.

The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician's statement was recorded before the NAB court in the 190 million pounds case regarding why the charges were brought against him and why prosecution witnesses testified against him.

Imran, who has been languishing in jail since last year, was asked 79 questions, and his statement was recorded under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

In his statement, the former premier elaborated on the political context, asserting that his party's rise after the regime change on April 10, 2022, had sparked opposition.

He claimed that the regime change operation, backed by former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and a foreign conspiracy, led to a coordinated effort by politicians, bureaucrats and law enforcement agencies to undermine his popularity. This, he argued, resulted in a crackdown on him, his family, and his party.

He reiterated his claims that the former army chief, as a result of a US conspiracy hatched by American diplomat Donald Luo, allied judges of superior courts, politicians, bureaucrats, police officials, district's administration and law enforcement agencies to snub the will of people of Pakistan to fulfil the "London Plan of establishment".

It all began after his participation in by-elections for the provincial and National Assemblies following the regime change operation, where he secured a two-thirds majority.

"I started a peaceful street movement nationwide against operation regime change and establishment with the help of my political rivals started lodging false cases against me, my family, my relatives, my party workers and in short an era of fascism was launched in Pakistan by so-called democrats and law enforcement agencies against the Pakistani nation," the former premier recounted.

Imran Khan elaborated that following General Bajwa's retirement, a retired general was appointed as army chief who orchestrated the May 9 "false flag operation" to dismantle his political party, the largest and most popular in the country, as part of the establishment's "London Plan".

He claimed that party members were subjected to coercion, threats, abductions, and inhumane torture.

The sanctity of homes was violated, women workers were arrested from their residences, and even senior citizens and individuals with disabilities were tortured, disregarding their age or condition, all to force them to abandon PTI.

He further alleged that his political allies were jailed and falsely implicated in numerous FIRs following the "May 9 false flag operation".

Imran Khan also stated that there was a visible haste on the part of the NAB authorities to prosecute him and his wife alone to the exclusion of as many as six co-accused appearing in the NAB reference.

"Without full canvas, prosecuting us alone is unjustified, illogical and unfair to say the least," Imran argued.

"Quite shockingly, NAB authorities with malicious intent have decided to embark upon the instant prosecution which as per record is a closed transaction in 2020 by virtue of the Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of the NAB which is also available on judicial file," he said.

Moreover, he contended that Al-Qadir University Trust was neither a ghost project nor was there any embezzlement, misappropriation, undue benefit or personal gain of even a trivial nature accruing to me or my wife.

"The NAB CIT team visited the project and found it very much operational and functional with distinguished faculty members (affiliated with GCU Lahore) inculcating knowledge to students at the campus."

He alleged that the instant prosecution by NAB authorities was driven by ulterior motives and mala fide intent. He added that the recorded evidence convincingly establishes that no offence under NAB laws was committed, nor did he or his wife accrue any dishonest gains.

"It is known to all and sundry that I have been actively involved in social work for the betterment of society at large," he pointed out.

"Shaukat Khanum Trust Hospital and NUML are two of the most well renowned, reputable projects in the field, to date, the stated two projects are functioning independently by dedicated professional teams without any questions or fingers pointed towards its operation in any manner. The honesty, integrity, credibility in its creation and functioning has remained unquestionable at every level."

 

Imran Khan stated that the evidence on record strongly suggests the reference was filed at the direction of political opponents to extend their suffering and incarceration.

He emphasised that the evidence confirms the Al-Qadir University Project Trust, like previous philanthropic efforts for Pakistan's citizens, was established solely as a noble initiative to aid the underprivileged in a remote area of the country.

He further asserted that the evidence proves neither he, his spouse, nor any family member has ever gained any benefit, personal advantage, or undue advantage from the trust.

'Absolutely innocent'

Imran said, "We are absolutely innocent and are repeatedly being prosecuted by various investigating agencies of Pakistan, all major prosecutions at the time of recorded of the statement have resulted in total collapse and miserably failed to establish our guilt".

Previously, Imran Khan recalled that he and his wife were prosecuted for Toshakhana gifts, the timing of their marriage during Iddat, and the May 9 cases in Lahore and Rawalpindi. Additionally, he faced prosecution in the cypher case.

Imran Khan states that the present case is a classic example of political victimisation, as a donation to a welfare trust has been portrayed as his personal gain.

He asserted he established the trust university in a backward area of the country intending to provide quality education in science, arts, and the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to poor and deserving people so they may stand at the forefront of the nation's betterment.

No loss has been caused to the state exchequer by my actions, and no monetary benefit has been derived by me, my family, my relatives, or anyone close to me from this trust, he added.

Imran Khan will also produce defence witnesses.

"This is a case of political victimisation and all the elements of political victimisation pointed out by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the recently laid down judgment on presidential reference in the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto case are available in this case and how the prosecution in this case is carried out is also deprecated in the referred judgement. I am innocent. I be acquitted from this case," Imran concluded.

Imran Khan also stated that no agreement exists between the state of Pakistan and the UK. He explained that an additional agenda item was placed before the cabinet under the 1973 Rules of Business and that the said amount was never confiscated in the UK but came to Pakistan through an out-of-court settlement between the parties to the agreement.

Producing witnesses

Regarding Pervaiz Khattak, Imran said that the former party leader did politics from PTI's platform for more than a decade, was elected as chief minister of K-P in 2013 and served as defence minister in the 2018 federal cabinet.

Following the regime change operation on April 10, 2022, and the crackdown, party members were subjected to coercion, abductions, and inhumane torture to force them to leave PTI.

Against this backdrop, Imran said that Pervaiz Khattak was incentivised in K-P and turned into a witness against me by the establishment.

Unlike other political allies who were jailed or implicated in multiple FIRs after May 9, Khattak was set free because he agreed to falsely testify against me while remaining in continuous contact with the establishment.

He never dissented during the cabinet meeting on December 3, 2019, and his prolonged silence makes him entirely untrustworthy, Imran added.

The statement further elaborated that the amount in question was transferred by private individuals from abroad to the Supreme Court account as part of an out-of-court settlement between private individuals and the NCA.

The state of Pakistan was not a party to this agreement; however, the government committed to the NCA and the private individuals to maintain the confidentiality of the settlement's contents. The transactions were fully known to the relevant federal ministries and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

Dr Inayat Hussain, serving as the Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, confirmed this during testimony. While the SBP initially halted the second tranche of remittance, the Registrar of the Supreme Court intervened to clear the transaction.

Imran Khan further asserted that the prosecution failed to produce an iota of evidence linking Farhat Shahzadi as the front person for his wife, who is a veil-observing lady.

"My wife has been falsely roped in this case just to equalize the score on the wishes of my political rivals and to satisfy the grudge of Maryam Nawaz Sharif who was convicted by NAB on corruption charges in my premier ship for being a beneficial owner of Avenfield flats London."

He also stressed that prosecution witnesses and investigators confirmed during the investigation and trial that neither he, his family, nor any associates derived personal gain from the assets or donations of the Al-Qadir University Project Trust (AQUPT).

The inquiry into this case was authorized on July 15, 2022. Aftab Sultan, the NAB Chairman from July 21, 2022, to February 21, 2023, did not escalate the inquiry into an investigation, stating that the matter had already been closed by NAB in 2020 during an EBM meeting.

The conditions for closure were fulfilled, and the then PDM government forced him to upgrade the case into an investigation. When he refused, he resigned, he claimed.

"The then-PDM government forced and pressurized him to upgrade this false case into investigation but he refused to do so and resultantly resigned from his office as chairman NAB."

Imran further stated that the acting chairman and the serving chairman unlawfully and unauthorizedly initiated the proceedings, as the inquiry was not completed within six months as required by law. Instead, it was concluded after nine months without reviewing or overturning the earlier EBM decision to close the case. Moreover, the proceedings were initiated without holding the previous EBM members accountable for the earlier wrongful closure of the case.

Yasir Rehman who was the first inquiry officer of this case was also of the view that the case cannot be proceeded under the NAB ordinance.

"So, the inquiry officer of this case was changed on the pretext of the transfer of Yasir Rehman."

Yasir Rehman was also not produced before the court nor his transfer letter is produced in evidence.

"Inquiry officer was also changed without the approval of chairman NAB and PW-35 conducted the inquiry illegally."

"The inquiry report was not handed over to me in compliance with Section 18 of NAO 1999 however afterwards during the trial inquiry report was provided to me on my written application which is vivid from the record. However, the witnesses given up by the prosecution are summoned as Court witnesses everything will be crystal clear," the statement said.

It is expected that Imran Khan will sign this statement on December 12.

Bushra Bibi has also recorded her statement.