‘Didn’t meet Tareen,’ Shahzad Akbar and Ali Zafar deny allegations

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Advisor on Accountability Shahzad Akbar on Wednesday denied reports that he had met disgruntled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT).

Both Shahzad Akbar and Barrister Ali Zafar denied having a joint meeting with Tareen in Islamabad, which was claimed by Raja Riaz, a member of the JKT group.

Akbar took to Twitter to categorically deny he met Tareen.

“Contrary to reports/statements on media, there has been no meeting with JKT. Barrister Ali Zafar has already denied any report being associated with him on the issue of pending FIA investigations,” tweeted Akbar.

Contrary to reports/statements on media, there has been no meeting with JKT. Barrister Ali Zafar has already denied any report being associated with him on issue of pending FIA investigations. Criminal investigations are absolute purview of investigating agencies 1/2

— Mirza Shahzad Akbar (@ShazadAkbar) May 26, 2021

“PM Imran Khan’s commitment with the process of accountability and justice remains unshakable,” he added.

PTI Gov believes in independence of institutions, rule of law & accountability across the board. PM @ImranKhanPTI commitment with the process of accountability n justice remains unshakable.

— Mirza Shahzad Akbar (@ShazadAkbar) May 26, 2021

Meanwhile, Senator Ali Zafar said he had meetings with Tareen but did not see him in the presence of Akbar on Tuesday.

Raja Riaz also claimed that the one-man committee constituted by PM has given a clean chit to Jahangir Tareen.

“Barrister Zafar had briefed advisor to the prime minister on accountability Shahzad Akbar and Jahangir Tareen in a meeting on Tuesday in Islamabad on his findings of the sugar scam probe. Zafar told them that Tareen had not been found guilty of the charges framed by the FIA Lahore,” said Riaz.

Barrister Ali Zafar denied this news as well.

“Some persons/media are busy guessing on what my findings in JKT (Jahangir Khan Tareen) turn out to be. Let me make it clear that there is no report submitted by me,” tweeted Zafar.

Some persons/media are busy guessing on what my findings in JKT turns out to be. Let me make it clear that there is no report submitted by me. Any findings, not necessity in writing, shall be purely internal to the PTI ..1/3

— Barrister Syed Ali Zafar (@SyedAliZafar1) May 26, 2021

“Any findings, not necessarily in writing, shall be purely internal to the PTI and have no legal value or status nor can the same have any relevance to or affect pending inquiries/investigations against the sugar barons or Tareen,” Zafar said in a series of tweets on Wednesday.

“I have been tasked to see into complaints of JKT and will be making my recommendations directly and only to the PM once I conclude,” tweeted Zafar.

However I have been tasked to see into complaints of JkT and will be making my recommendations directly and only to the PM once I conclude. 3/3

— Barrister Syed Ali Zafar (@SyedAliZafar1) May 26, 2021

The FIA had registered two FIRs against Jahangir Tareen and his son Ali Tareen under Rs5 billion money laundering and fraud charges in the sugar ‘scam’. Both are on interim bail till May 31.

Last month, PM Khan had formed a one-man committee comprising Barrister Ali Zafar to ascertain whether there was any truth to the concerns that some people holding key positions in the government and the PTI were politically victimising Tareen.