After the court verdict on the £190 million case, PTI leaders have claimed that the money did not belong to the government of Pakistan and was never meant to go into the national treasury.
However, this contradicts the narrative previously promoted by Shehzad Akbar and the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU), which had taken credit for recovering the amount.
Were £190 million public funds or property tycoon’s assets?
Following the court's decision on the NAB reference, PTI leaders have made a U-turn, asserting that the £190 million were personal assets of property tycoon Malik Riaz, which could be used after being unfrozen. This stands in contrast to the narrative during PTI's tenure, where Shehzad Akbar, then PM's adviser and ARU head, portrayed it as a recovery intended for public welfare.
In a tweet dated December 6, 2019, Akbar claimed that the settlement amount included proceeds from the One Hyde Park property in London, which would be used for public welfare. His statements at the time clearly suggested that the amount was not seen as private property but rather as funds to be utilized for the country's benefit.
Contradictory claims
The ARU’s performance report from September 2018 to December 2019 also listed the £190 million transfer as a recovery. This raises questions that why was the amount previously declared as a recovery if it belonged to the property tycoon? And If it was a recovery, why was it used to settle Malik Riaz’s penalty?
Adding to the mystery, Shehzad Akbar was absent from court proceedings to explain these contradictions. The court also noted that crucial documents, such as the UK settlement agreement and NAB’s five MLAs, were not provided by British authorities.
