Islamabad March 1 (TNS): Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that they were closely watching the controversy surrounding the Bani Gala estate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and the party may take up the matter as things unfold.
Muhammad Umar, a former union council official of the Bhara Kahu locality on Wednesday told the Supreme Court — hearing the case about encroachments in Bani Gala — that Imran Khan did not get the no-objection certificate before constructing his palatial 300-kanal house. Earlier, the apex court had the order to verify the documents submitted by Khan’s counsel Babar Awan regarding the site plan, the layout and NOC of the estate.
Talking to the media after appearing in the NAB accountability court, Nawaz said that he was reviewing the latest hullabaloo but he added he was not Imran Khan that he will hurry in hurling baseless allegations. Nawaz said that a conclusive statement from him on the matter will only come after he looked into the matter threadbare. He also said that he was also looking at the Supreme Court how it proceeds in the case.
Nawaz has already summoned a consultative meeting on the issue and Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz, Barrister Zafarullah Khan and CADD Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudry and others are attending the meeting.
PTI North Punjab chapter president Amir Kyani, meanwhile, claimed that the construction was carried out as per the law. He said that Imran had directed him to acquire the written order before carrying out the construction.
The Supreme Court will take up the case today afternoon and Imran’s counsel will likely appear in the matter and it is highly likely that the case will end up being politicized if the Supreme Court fails to hand down a conclusive decision on the matter. Interestingly, Imran Khan himself had filed an application in the Supreme Court drawing its attention on the teeming encroachments around Botanical Garden in Bani Gala.
