Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan has denied allegations of forgery in the documents regarding the construction of his Bani Gala residence in Islamabad.

Counsel for Imran, Babar Awan appeared before the bench and gave an explanation regarding the ongoing case.

Replying to Awan, Justice Umran Ata Bandial said, “Why you are getting emotional? Go pay the amount and regularise your house.”

On February 28, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Nayyar Rizvi submitted a report in the Supreme Court, stating that Imran’s no-objection certificate (NOC) for the construction of his Bani Gala residence could not be verified.

The PTI chief stated that he had obtained an NOC for the construction of his house in Bani Gala. However, Muhammad Umar, who was the secretary of the Union Council of Sohan in 2003 when the document was apparently issued, denied the issuance of any such document.

On February 23, the court had told the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to verify, within a week, records and permissions granted to Imran Khan for building his mansion in Bani Gala.

“Did Imran take permission from related authorities for the construction of his home?” Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar had questioned.

In May 2017, the CDA and the ICT administration submitted a two-page report, along with a list of 122 illegal constructions, in response to the apex court’s April 24 verdict in a suo motu case of municipal lawlessness in Bani Gala, Islamabad. The hearing of case was adjourned till March 13.

Published in Daily Times, March 7^th 2018.