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LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Q has accused Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif of putting pressure on Hamesh Khan, former chief of the Bank of Punjab, to become an approver against former chief minister Pervaiz Ilahi, and of also seeking a Rs500 million unsecured loan for his sons.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif had been trying for six months to implicate his family in the BoP scam and their rhetoric had intensified after Hameshs extradition.
PML-Qs information secretary Kamil Ali Agha read out a statement submitted by Hameshs attorney to the US State Department during proceedings for his extradition to Pakistan. Copies of excerpts from the statement were given to reporters.
Chaudhry Shujaat said the statement showed that the chief minister, former chief secretary Javed Mahmood and the Sharif brothers finance manager Usman had put pressure on the banker to sanction a loan of over Rs500 million for the business of Shahbazs sons and to become an approver against Pervaiz Ilahi.
The PML-Q chief refuted a perception that the former chief minister and his son Moonis Ilahi had left the country because of fears that some disclosures made by Hamesh Khan might lead to their arrest.
However, a TV channel quoted PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal as saying that had there been any truth in the allegations Pervaiz Ilahi and his son would not have left the country to save their skin.
According to Hamesh Khans statement, Shahbaz Sharifs sons Hamza and Salman approached him in early 2007, when Pervaiz Ilahi was in power, to acquire a loan for their sugar mills. The request was denied by the BoPs credit risk management department because of their previous defaults with the bank. The Sharif familys finance manger threatened Hamesh with dire consequences for rejecting the request.
Immediately after coming to power, Shahbaz summoned Hamesh and his sons again made the request for loan, reminding the banker that this was his opportunity to make up for his previous refusal.
Hamesh Khan said he again refused and did not agree even to extend the facility to the mills the Sharifs were aspiring to purchase, citing his banks policy limits.
He alleged that Hamza and Salman had conveyed to him through their manager that his uncooperative attitude and the leaking of the news would cost him his health and career.
The threat was repeated thrice, and once it was conveyed through the bankers personal secretary at the time, Mujeeb Khan, he alleged.
He also alleged that at a meeting at the chief ministers DHA residence he was asked about Pervaiz Ilahi and his familys dealings.
Hamesh Khan said he had told Shahbaz Sharif that there were no bad dealings, including the Haris Steel scandal which had nothing to do with the former chief minister.
According to him, Shahbaz got infuriated and told him that his uncooperative attitude could lead to unsavoury circumstances.
The banker said the chief minister sought his support as an approver against Pervaiz Ilahi and other leaders and the then chief secretary was also used to put pressure on him.
Javed Mahmood told Hamesh that his cooperation as an approver was both expected and required and that his family would regret his decision not to cooperate, the statement said, alleging that the same night police raided his house without any warrant or charge-sheet.
A deputy inspector-general of Punjab police phoned Hameshs wife, saying either you present your husband or we will register false cases against him in every police station, it alleged.
In a statement issued later, Senator Pervaiz Rashid of the PML-N alleged that the leadership of the PML-Q, including Pervaiz Ilahi and Moonis Ilahi, had ruthlessly spent the money of the bank during their rule and caused an irrevocable loss to the country. Now after the arrest of Hamesh Khan, both of them have fled the country, he alleged.
He said the case against Hamesh Khan was registered only after the State Bank had taken notice of the matter.
He said the PML-N had demanded that the names of Pervaiz Ilahi and Moonis Ilahi be put on the Exit Control List.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif had been trying for six months to implicate his family in the BoP scam and their rhetoric had intensified after Hameshs extradition.
PML-Qs information secretary Kamil Ali Agha read out a statement submitted by Hameshs attorney to the US State Department during proceedings for his extradition to Pakistan. Copies of excerpts from the statement were given to reporters.
Chaudhry Shujaat said the statement showed that the chief minister, former chief secretary Javed Mahmood and the Sharif brothers finance manager Usman had put pressure on the banker to sanction a loan of over Rs500 million for the business of Shahbazs sons and to become an approver against Pervaiz Ilahi.
The PML-Q chief refuted a perception that the former chief minister and his son Moonis Ilahi had left the country because of fears that some disclosures made by Hamesh Khan might lead to their arrest.
However, a TV channel quoted PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal as saying that had there been any truth in the allegations Pervaiz Ilahi and his son would not have left the country to save their skin.
According to Hamesh Khans statement, Shahbaz Sharifs sons Hamza and Salman approached him in early 2007, when Pervaiz Ilahi was in power, to acquire a loan for their sugar mills. The request was denied by the BoPs credit risk management department because of their previous defaults with the bank. The Sharif familys finance manger threatened Hamesh with dire consequences for rejecting the request.
Immediately after coming to power, Shahbaz summoned Hamesh and his sons again made the request for loan, reminding the banker that this was his opportunity to make up for his previous refusal.
Hamesh Khan said he again refused and did not agree even to extend the facility to the mills the Sharifs were aspiring to purchase, citing his banks policy limits.
He alleged that Hamza and Salman had conveyed to him through their manager that his uncooperative attitude and the leaking of the news would cost him his health and career.
The threat was repeated thrice, and once it was conveyed through the bankers personal secretary at the time, Mujeeb Khan, he alleged.
He also alleged that at a meeting at the chief ministers DHA residence he was asked about Pervaiz Ilahi and his familys dealings.
Hamesh Khan said he had told Shahbaz Sharif that there were no bad dealings, including the Haris Steel scandal which had nothing to do with the former chief minister.
According to him, Shahbaz got infuriated and told him that his uncooperative attitude could lead to unsavoury circumstances.
The banker said the chief minister sought his support as an approver against Pervaiz Ilahi and other leaders and the then chief secretary was also used to put pressure on him.
Javed Mahmood told Hamesh that his cooperation as an approver was both expected and required and that his family would regret his decision not to cooperate, the statement said, alleging that the same night police raided his house without any warrant or charge-sheet.
A deputy inspector-general of Punjab police phoned Hameshs wife, saying either you present your husband or we will register false cases against him in every police station, it alleged.
In a statement issued later, Senator Pervaiz Rashid of the PML-N alleged that the leadership of the PML-Q, including Pervaiz Ilahi and Moonis Ilahi, had ruthlessly spent the money of the bank during their rule and caused an irrevocable loss to the country. Now after the arrest of Hamesh Khan, both of them have fled the country, he alleged.
He said the case against Hamesh Khan was registered only after the State Bank had taken notice of the matter.
He said the PML-N had demanded that the names of Pervaiz Ilahi and Moonis Ilahi be put on the Exit Control List.