Search form

You are here

  • Home
  • Pakistani ex-PM Khan’s party hopeful of bail in £190 million settlement case with property mogul


Pakistani ex-PM Khan’s party hopeful of bail in £190 million settlement case with property mogul

Security personnel with ballistic shields escort former Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan (C) as he leaves after appearing at the High Court in Lahore, Pakistan, on May 19, 2023. (Photo courtesy: AFP/File)
Short Url

https://arab.news/bmh2r

Updated 27 November 2023
Follow

Pakistani ex-PM Khan’s party hopeful of bail in £190 million settlement case with property mogul

  • Khan, his wife are accused of receiving land worth millions of dollars as a bribe from real estate tycoon
  • Khan and his aides have denied any wrongdoing in the case, the developer has also denied the charges
Updated 27 November 2023
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday a judge hearing the case of a £190 million settlement with a property tycoon had denied further physical remand of the ex-premier, a move that could lead to bail.

Government officials allege Khan and his wife received land worth millions of dollars as a bribe from a real estate tycoon through the Al-Qadir Trust, a non-governmental welfare organization set up by Bushra Watto, Khan’s third wife, and Khan in 2018 when he was still in office. The trust runs a university outside Islamabad devoted to spirituality and Islamic teachings, a project inspired by the former first lady, who is also commonly known as Bushra Bibi and has a reputation as a spiritual healer.

Khan and his aides have denied any wrongdoing in the case. The developer has also denied the charges.

“Reference Alqadir Trust Case: Judge has denied further physical remand of Chairman PTI Imran Khan who was arrested November 13 on the case and was under remand since then,” the PTI said in a text message to reporters.

“Denying request for physical remand in this case can lead to bail in this yet another bogus case, the legal team shall apply, shortly.”

Last week, the government approved a jail trial of Khan in the case.

In May, the then government of PM Shehbaz Sharif had said the Al-Qadir trust was a front for Khan to receive valuable land as a bribe from a real estate developer, Malik Riaz Hussain, who is one of Pakistan’s richest and most powerful businessmen.

The trust has nearly 60 acres of land worth over $24 million and another large piece of land in Islamabad close to Khan’s hilltop home, the then interior minister said at a press conference on May 11, the same day Khan was briefly arrested in the case. He was released on bail days later.

The 60-acre piece of land in Punjab state’s Jhelum district is the official site of the university but very little has been built there.

Then Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also raised questions about donations given for operations of the under-construction institution.

“The trust received 180 million rupee ($635,144.67) for operational expenses, but records showed only 8.52 million rupees” on the books, she said in a statement issued on May 12.

The government said the scheme originated with 190 million pounds repatriated to Pakistan in 2019 by Britain after Hussain forfeited cash and assets to settle a British probe into whether they were proceeds of crime.

It said instead of putting it in Pakistan’s treasury, Khan’s government used the money to pay fines levied by a court against Hussain for illegal acquisition of government lands at below-market value for development in Karachi.

The interior minister alleged Hussain gave the land in Jhelum and Islamabad to Al-Qadir Trust in exchange for that favor.

Topics: Pakistan Imran Khan Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf PTI Bushra Bili Al-Qadir Trust Arab News Pakistan

Pakistan says resolved over 30,000 Hajj pilgrims’ complaints 

Updated 17 min 43 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan says resolved over 30,000 Hajj pilgrims’ complaints 

  • Pakistani pilgrims were assisted in travel, lost tickets, accommodation, food and other issues, says religion ministry
  • Multiple channels were provided to pilgrims for complaints, including call center, WhatsApp and toll-free numbers
Updated 17 min 43 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A facilitation center set up by the Pakistani government in Makkah for this year’s Hajj resolved over 30,000 complaints filed by pilgrims, the religion ministry said on Tuesday. 

This year’s Hajj took place from June 4 to June 9, drawing millions of pilgrims to the holy cities in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan sent over 115,000 pilgrims under both the government and private schemes.

Ayesha Ijaz, the person in charge of the facilitation center in Makkah, told Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry that the center has been specially set up to help Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. 

“The facilitation center established by the Government of Pakistan in Makkah to provide exemplary facilities to Pakistani pilgrims during and after Hajj 2025 has successfully resolved over 30,000 complaints,” the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) said. 

It said thousands of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims were provided immediate assistance related to travel issues, lost tickets, accommodation, food and other important matters. 

“The center operates round the clock and has various special departments, including the Departure Cell, Zong Desk, Maktab Desk, Madinah Departure Cell, Complaints Cell and 24/7 Call Center,” Ijaz said. 

Hafiz Obaidullah Zakaria, who is in charge of the Complaints Cell, said 30,147 complaints have been registered so far related to Hajj 2025.

“Of these, 2,446 complaints were resolved within 24 hours, 113 are under process, while 580 complaints were declared inauthentic,” he was quoted as saying by the religion ministry. 

The religion ministry said this year, multiple channels were provided to pilgrims for registering complaints, including a 24-hour call center, WhatsApp, toll-free numbers and other platforms.

It said the number of complaints had been reduced significantly, which reflected impressive arrangements undertaken by the government. 

“The timely actions of the facilitation center and effective complaint management have set a new precedent for Hajj operations, which has been appreciated not only by the authorities but also by the pilgrims,” the ministry said. 

The last Pakistani flight carrying Hajj pilgrims back to the country is scheduled to arrive on July 10. 

Topics: Pakistani pilgrims Hajj 2025

Pakistan court delivers first-ever conviction for insider trading 

Updated 17 June 2025
ISMAIL DILAWAR 
Follow

Pakistan court delivers first-ever conviction for insider trading 

  • SECP says bank official misused insider information related to investment, disinvestment decisions for “personal gain“
  • Financial regulator says court slaps $30,380 penalty on convict, with the amount to be deposited within seven days
Updated 17 June 2025
ISMAIL DILAWAR 

KARACHI: A Pakistani court recently handed its first-ever conviction for insider trading, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) said on Tuesday, hailing the judgment as one which will boost investors’ confidence in the country’s capital markets. 

Insider trading refers to the practice of buying or selling a publicly traded company’s securities while in possession of material information that is not yet public information. The SECP said it had filed a case against Zakir Hussain Somji, assistant vice president of investments at Habib Metropolitan Bank (HMB) Limited, after inspecting suspicious trading activity from Jan. 1, 2014, to Feb. 2, 2016.

The regulator said it was suspected that the accused, through his position at HMB, misused insider information related to the bank’s investment and disinvestment decisions for personal gain. The SECP said a probe revealed Somji bought 11,795,100 shares of various companies, including 1,230,900 shares (10.43 percent) acquired from HMB. He sold 11,836,600 shares — 4,915,200 (41.52 percent) of which were sold back to HMB, earning an “unlawful profit” of Rs2,866,646 [$10,116.39]. 

“Sindh Special Court (Offences in Banks) handed out first ever conviction for insider trading in the history of Pakistan in a case filed by The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP),” the regulator said. 

It said Somji had been convicted by the court on June 14 for violating provisions of Section 128 of the Securities Act, 2015, which related to insider trading. 

The regulator said the court slapped Somji with a penalty of Rs 8,599,938 [$30,380] which was three times the “unlawful gain.”

“The amount is to be deposited within seven days, failing which the convict will be remanded to jail until full payment is made,” the SECP said. 

The regulator said the judgment reaffirms SECP’s mandate to ensure market integrity and investor protection.

“It sets a strong precedent for future enforcement actions and sends a clear message that market abuse and regulatory violations shall not be tolerated,” it added. 
 

Topics: insider trading

Pakistan’s militancy-hit Balochistan unveils ‘largest’ $3.6 billion annual budget

Updated 17 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan’s militancy-hit Balochistan unveils ‘largest’ $3.6 billion annual budget

  • Province earmarks $2.26 billion for non-development spending, $307 million for health and $423.5 million for schools
  • Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by land yet its poorest by almost all social and economic indicators
Updated 17 June 2025
UROOSA JADOON

ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s militancy-hit Balochistan on Tuesday unveiled its $3.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-26, which provincial Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani described as the “largest” one in the province’s history.

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by land size but its poorest by almost all social and economic indicators. The province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has been the scene of a low-lying insurgency for decades where ethnic separatist militants demand a greater share of the province’s mineral resources for locals. 

Nosherwani presented the budget for the upcoming fiscal year in the Balochistan Assembly in Quetta, with Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai chairing the session.

“For the upcoming fiscal year, the total budget is estimated at Rs1,028 billion [$3.63 billion]— the largest in the province’s history,” Nosherwani told lawmakers during the budget session.

“Out of this, the non-development budget is Rs642 billion [$2.26 billion] while the overall provincial development (PSDP) budget is Rs249.5 billion [$878 million],” he added. 

The finance minister pointed out that the budget includes a Rs42 billion [$148.3 million] surplus, describing it as a “historic milestone” for the province. 

Nosherwani said the government has earmarked over Rs120 billion [$423.5 million] for the schools sector and Rs29.1 billion [$102.7 million] for the higher education sector. 

The provincial government has also allocated Rs87 billion [$307 million] for the health sector, ₨26 billion [$91.8 million] for the agriculture sector and Rs1 billion [$3.53 million] for food, he said. 

He said the government had decided not to purchase new vehicles, except for the ones required by law enforcement personnel. 

“To create employment opportunities in 2025–26, the provincial government plans to introduce 4,188 contract positions and 1,958 regular jobs across departments,” Nosherwani said. 

He credited the provincial government for not overlooking any segment of society in the annual budget.

“These measures cover government employees, women, pensioners, youth, migrants, laborers— people from every walk of life,” the finance minister said. 

Topics: Balochistan Assembly Balochistan Budget Pakistan Budget 2025-2026

Pakistani journalists protest Israel’s bombing of Iranian state TV

Updated 18 min 57 sec ago
Follow

Pakistani journalists protest Israel’s bombing of Iranian state TV

  • Israel bombed state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting’s building on Monday as its conflict with Iran escalates
  • Charged Pakistani journalists in Karachi accuse Israel of targeting journalists deliberately to silence their voices
Updated 18 min 57 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Dozens of Pakistani journalists protested in Karachi on Tuesday against Israel’s move to bomb Iran’s state-run television channel this week, accusing Tel Aviv of deliberately targeting journalists to silence their voices. 

Footage of anchor Sahar Emami went viral on Monday in which she can be seen denouncing Israel at the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building before the live broadcast was interrupted by a huge blast. Shortly after, smoke and debris filled the screen.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) confirmed that Israel’s strike on the IRIB building killed Nima Rajabpour, editor-in-chief of Khabar TV, and Masoumeh Azimi, a secretary at the state-run television channel. Israel and Iran have been targeting each other with missiles since Friday, when the Jewish state attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leadership.

 Dozens of Pakistani journalists protested the move outside the Karachi Press Club. The protest was organized by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ). Journalists carried placards inscribed with messages condemning Israel, shouting slogans expressing support for the people of Gaza and Iran. 

“It [Israel] has assassinated anyone across the world who tried to unmask its true face, anyone who tried to speak the truth,” PFUJ Secretary-General A.H. Khanzada told Arab News, accusing the Jewish state of killing journalists from Gaza to Iran.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has counted 178 journalists killed in Gaza by Israel since October 2023, making it the deadliest conflict for media workers ever recorded.

Khanzada urged the IFJ to redefine its global parameters of press freedom.

“If these are not corrected, many problems will arise — and these problems will affect the entire world,” he said, calling the response from global media organizations to the attack as “insufficient.”

Aamir Latif, a former Karachi Press Club secretary, agreed that Israel was systematically silencing journalists.

“Israel is not in a business to tell the truth,” Latif said. “In fact, it is in a business to block the truth. That is why it is targeting journalists whether it is Gaza or whether it is Iran,” he added.

Latif lamented Israel’s moves to target hospitals, media workers and other protected entities in the Middle East, saying they were directly violating international laws. 

Veteran journalist and former PFUJ secretary-general Mazhar Abbas called the Iranian TV bombardment a “direct assault on freedom of expression.”

“The figure [of journalists being killed in Palestine] is nearly around 150, which is even far bigger than the journalists killed in the Second World War,” Abbas told Arab News.

KUJ President Nasrullah Chaudhry said Pakistani journalists stood in solidarity with their Iranian counterparts.

“Since October, we have documented Israeli war crimes against media in Gaza,” Chaudhry said. “This is part of the same pattern.

“The media of Pakistan in general and Karachi in particular firmly stands against Israel aggression and assaults on journalists,” he told protesters. 

The protest ended with Pakistani journalists pledging to continue highlighting what participants called the “systematic targeting of truth tellers” by Israel across multiple conflict zones.

Topics: Israel Iran conflict Pakistani journalists International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

Islamabad says will not let militants exploit Iran-Israel conflict to attack Pakistan

Updated 17 June 2025
Follow

Islamabad says will not let militants exploit Iran-Israel conflict to attack Pakistan

  • Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal says Islamabad recently had “very good, close coordination” with Iran, Afghanistan against “terrorist” groups
  • Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, sharing borders with Afghanistan and Iran, has seen a surge in militant attacks in recent months 
Updated 17 June 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Tuesday that Islamabad would not allow militants based in Iran and Afghanistan to take advantage of Tehran’s ongoing conflict with Israel to increase its “terrorist” attacks in neighboring Pakistan. 

Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province shares porous borders with Afghanistan to the north and Iran to the west. It has experienced a surge in militant attacks by Baloch separatists and other armed groups in recent years, who demand a greater share of Balochistan’s mineral resources for locals. 

Pakistan has remained at odds with both Afghanistan and Iran over instability at its shared, porous borders with the two countries. Islamabad blames Kabul for not taking action against Pakistani Taliban militants who it says regularly launch attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces, allegations that Afghanistan denies. 

Ties between Islamabad and Tehran have also been strained in the past, with both nations blaming each other for not rooting out militancy in their countries. 

“Pakistan leadership has recently had very good, close coordination with both the leadership in Iran and with leadership in Afghanistan ensuring that their soil is not used by the terrorist groups to carry out terrorist attacks in the country,” Iqbal told foreign media reporters during a briefing in Islamabad. 

He added that Pakistani security forces were carrying out operations against militant groups in Balochistan and were confident they could “control” them.

“They are Indian-sponsored terrorist groups and they have already taken a hit with the defeat of India in the limited war we had and won’t get any space now [in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict],” the minister said. 

Iqbal was referring to Pakistan’s days-long military confrontation with India last month in which both countries targeted each other with artillery fire, missiles, fighter jets and drone strikes before Washington brokered a ceasefire on May 10. 

Regional tensions have flared once again after Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leadership last Friday. The two countries have traded missiles since then, with world leaders calling for dialogue and restraint. 

The minister hoped Irani forces would not allow militants based in their country to carry out attacks against Pakistan. 

“We hope and are confident that the leadership in Iran will also exercise its full jurisdiction to make sure that no groups use the territory of Iran to carry out any terrorist action in Pakistan,” he said. 

He called on the international community, especially the G7 countries, to intervene and stop Iran’s conflict with Israel from escalating further. 

“This can have very serious consequences because this region supplies energy to the global economy and if there is any disruption in the supply of energy through escalation in this conflict, it will not just affect Iran, it will not just affect Israel, it will affect the entire world,” Iqbal warned. 

CPEC WORK TO CONTINUE

Iqbal said the Israel-Iran conflict will not affect the pace of development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion infrastructure network between Pakistan and China, as the military confrontation was not taking place in Pakistan. 

China has invested $65 billion in CPEC, its flagship project which is part of its Belt and Road Initiative, to build roads, railways, pipelines, and ports connecting China to the Arabian Sea. A key project is the deep-sea port at Gwadar in Balochistan, a province that faces a long-running separatist insurgency.

“So, our work in Pakistan will continue and CPEC will move forward as we are hoping and anticipating by the end of July, the 14th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting will take place for CPEC,” Iqbal said, adding that by then the roadmap for the project’s phase 2 will be approved. 

Ethnic Baloch separatist groups, most prominent among them the Baloch Liberation Army, have targeted Chinese interests in Balochistan in recent years. This has led to China expressing concerns over the safety of its nationals in Pakistan. 

Iqbal said Beijing has expressed satisfaction over the improving security situation in Pakistan. 

“Chinese are very convinced that Pakistan is fully committed to improving the security situation in the country and in the coming months and years, we will have greater cooperation because Pakistan has worked very hard to counter these elements who have been involved in actions against Chinese,” the minister said.

Topics: Israel Iran conflict militancy in Pakistan Ahsan Iqbal

Latest updates

At least 60 people feared missing in two deadly shipwrecks off Libya, IOM says
Mbappe doubtful for Real Madrid’s Club World Cup opener against Al-Hilal
Fluminense begin Club World Cup with goalless draw against Dortmund
France urged to apologize for Polynesia nuclear tests
Pakistan says resolved over 30,000 Hajj pilgrims’ complaints 

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2025 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.