Imran Khan came out as a "dirty dealer": Pakistan Minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal has said that PTI chief Imran Khan has "come out as a dirty leader," reported Dawn.

Speaking about the Al-Qadir Trust case, Iqbal said that the former prime minister had claimed that the cabinet had given the approval for the transaction in question.

However, Iqbal also alleged, the then-cabinet secretary had informed the government that ex-accountability czar Shehzad Akbar had handed Imran a sealed envelope, read a report published in Dawn.

"You (Imran) waved around the envelope and that this important case had also been accepted. And when other ministers inquired about the case, you snubbed them and shut them up," Iqbal said, adding that this was how Imran had gotten the "dirty deal" with Malik Riaz approved by the cabinet. He said, "Imran Sahib, you have come out as a dirty dealer."

The Planning Minister has also said that by "settling" the fine imposed on property tycoon Malik Riaz, PTI chief Khan had obtained 650 kanals of land for the Al-Qadir University, according to Dawn.

"When it is your turn to give receipts, you are crying? When it is your turn to give receipts, you have [...] burnt everything? Just because you don't have receipts and you don't have an answer?"

He added Imran wanted to hide behind violence and lawlessness, Dawn reported.

Earlier, Pakistan's Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for attacking parliament, the country's military and PTV over the arrest of former PM Imran Khan and said that PTI has removed itself from the "tribe of politics" and joined in the "tribe of terrorists."

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Ahsan Iqbal wrote, "PTI today in Pakistan has removed itself from the tribe of politics and joined it in the tribe of terrorists. Made the enemies of Pakistan happy. First the attack on PTV, then the attack on the parliament and now the attack on the military organization and what is called terrorism? Foreign funding does not come for free."

Ahsan Iqbal's statement came after protests erupted across Pakistan after PTI chairman Imran Khan was arrested on Tuesday. Khan was, however, released two days after his arrest on Friday.