Imran Khan, the chairman of the PTI and a former prime minister, acknowledged on Saturday that he had invested $3 million from the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT) funds in a private housing project, but claimed that the money has since been returned. Imran Khan admits investing Shaukat Khanum funds in housing project.
The information was revealed at the Islamabad District and Sessions Court hearing for the Rs 10 billion defamation case against Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
The PTI leader appeared in court via video link from his Zaman Park mansion in Lahore as Imran Khan admits investing Shaukat Khanum funds in housing project.
Judge Umeed Ali Baloch of the Additional Sessions heard the case. Asif and Imran’s counsels were present during the hearing.
Imran was subjected to an hour and fifteen minutes of cross-examination by Asif’s attorney Barrister Haider Rasul, who focused on Imran’s use of SKMT funds to invest in the private housing project.
The PTI chairman acknowledged putting money into the project and said that the SKMT board had informed him of the investment. He claimed he couldn’t recall the project’s name, though.
When the attorney questioned if the board had given him written notice of the investment, Imran replied that he did not remember whether the information had been given verbally or in writing.
The $3 million, according to the former premier, were redeposited by the board member, and the situation was resolved.
Asif’s counsel maintained that the matter had not ended but would start “from the same point”.
“When the amount was invested, the dollar rate was [equivalent to] Rs60 and when the amount was returned, the rate had reached Rs120,” he contended.
The PTI chief said that the matter could be resolved “quickly” if the lawyer came “straight to the point rather than asking ‘pointless questions’”.
The lawyer said he could complete the cross-examination in “just two hours” during the next hearing.
Later, the court adjourned the hearing of the case till January 28.
