Daily Times

Britain’s National Crime Agency on Monday briefly arrested Farhan Junejo, a former Pakistani ‘politically exposed person’, along with his wife in connection with money laundering investigation.

According to the NCA, “Officers from the NCA’s International Corruption Unit have arrested a former ‘Pakistani Politically Exposed Person’, aged in his 40s, and his wife, aged in her 30s, in connection with alleged money laundering in the United Kingdom believed to be the result of corruption in Pakistan.”

The NCA said the probe was supported by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency. “The couple, who were arrested in Surrey, owns a UK property portfolio worth more than £8m for which they appear to have no legitimate source of income.”

The couple were questioned by the NCA officers and have now been released under investigation, the crime agency said.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan and the UK jointly announced a justice and accountability ‘initiative’ between the two countries aimed at repatriating “the looted wealth of the country”.

The initiative – which the duo insisted would not target individuals but was a broader arrangement between the two governments to collaborate for the elimination of a variety of crimes – was launched during the British home secretary’s official visit to Islamabad.

The ‘initiative’, earlier reported to be an ‘agreement’ but described by the government as only a ‘declaration’, is aimed at tackling corruption and “making it a priority for both governments”. “The aim of this declaration is to bring back the looted wealth of the country,” Shahzad Akbar, the special assistant to the prime minister on accountability, said, adding: “The agreement on exchange of convicted personnel will also be renewed.”

Published in Daily Times, September 18^th 2018.