LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s leader Jahangir Tareen said on Wednesday that he has not parted ways with the party.
The PTI leader and his son Ali Tareen appeared in a banking court seeking extension of their pre-arrest bail in a case related to the sugar crisis in the country. It has been extended till April 10.
The Federal Investigation Authority has summoned them for questioning on April 9. He has been instructed to answer five questions regarding his role as Chief Executive Officer of the JDW Sugar Mills.
FIA has filed money laundering and fraud cases against the PTI leader, his son and son-in-law. The two FIRs included these charges under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating of public shareholders) and 109 (punishment of abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with sections 3 (money laundering) and 4 (punishment for money laundering) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
“Not one, not two but three FIRs have been registered against me,” he said.
“Out of the 80 sugar mill owners, all they could see was Jahangir Tareen,” he said, questioning why he was being subjected to “revenge”.
The PTI leader said his “loyalty is being tested”. He added that an inquiry against him, relating to the sugar crisis, has been going on for the last year.
A banking court extended on Wednesday the interim bail granted to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen, his son Ali Tareen and two other accused in a money laundering case.
The court extended their interim pre-arrest bail until April 10 due to the absence of judge Ameer Muhammad Khan.
Estranged PTI leader Jahangir Tareen said that his loyalty to Prime Minister Imran Khan was being tested, but that he is not parting ways with the PTI.
“Not one, not two but three FIRs have been registered against me,” he said.
“Out of the 80 sugar mill owners, all they could see was Jahangir Tareen,” he said, questioning why he was being subjected to “revenge”.
The PTI leader said his “loyalty is being tested”. He added that an inquiry against him, relating to the sugar crisis, has been going on for the last year.
He lamented that his accounts as well as those belonging to his son, Ali Tareen, had been frozen. “Why have my accounts been frozen? Who is doing this? Who benefits from this?” he asked.
Tareen said he was “asking for justice from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf”, adding that he was a friend, but is being “pushed towards enmity”.
In response to a question, Tareen said it was time to expose those involved in a conspiracy against him. He said PM Khan can expose the person who was hell-bent on exacting revenge against him.
Despite his grievances against the ruling party, Tareen said he was not parting ways with the PTI. “I am a member of the PTI and will remain so,” he said.
When asked whether he was about to meet former president and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, he said the reports were not true.
Earlier, on April 6, Sindh Minister for Women Development Shahla Raza, who belongs to the PPP, on Tuesday deleted a tweet in which she speculated on the possibility of Tareen joining PPP during a meeting “next week” with Zardari in Karachi.
Raza had claimed Tareen had already met PPP’s Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood, and “it is believed he will meet Zardari” in Karachi.
Responding to Raza’s statement, Tareen had said a “consistent propaganda” campaign is in place against him. “The reports of my meeting with PPP leaders are baseless.”
