Case against Anjum Aqeel: PML-N accuses Babar Awan of influencing investigation

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday accused former Law Minister Babar Awan for exercising his influence through Interior Ministry in investigation against its MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan for his alleged involvement in Rs6 billion land scam pertaining to National Police Foundation housing society.
Anjum Aqeel, who was produced in the National Assembly after issuance of production order by Deputy Speaker National Assembly here on Friday, demanded constitution of the parliamentary committee comprising members from all political parties to probe allegations against him.
Giving his version of the circumstances that led to registration of a case against him and subsequent arrest, he claimed that the scandal against him was fabricated, as it was related to a project initiated by him in 1997 and completed in 2003. "I am innocent and I will prove my innocence before a committee of the parliamentarians," he said.
Aqeel further said he owed nothing to Police Foundation, adding that there was interference in the investigations being carried out against him. He further lamented that despite being a member of the National Assembly, a case was registered against him under Anti Terrorism Act.
"Neither me nor my family come from terrorists background. Do I look like a terrorist? he posed a question and also urged the Chair's support to prove his 'innocence'.
Justifying the attack on police station by his supporters and PML-N workers, he shifted the blame on the police, saying that the police could have taken t him to any other police station when they were already aware of the presence of a large number of his supporters in front of the Shalimar Police Station. The MNA also claimed that he was being victimised to change his loyalty.
PML-N's leader Khawaja Saad Rafiq, while giving the party's position regarding the issue, said that decision of Supreme Court would be accepted wholeheartedly.
He said that the act of getting the MNA released forcibly from the custody of police was a shameful act and the membership of the party office-bearers responsible for the act had been suspended, while show-cause notice had been issued to Anjum Aqeel Khan by the party.
Rafiq alleged that former Law Minister Baber Awan through Ministry of Interior was unlawfully exercising his influence in the cases against Anjum Aqeel Khan. He added that Anjum Aqeel Khan handed himself over to the police on the direction of the party and by his willingness, but Islamabad police was distorting facts in this respect.
He also endorsed the demand earlier made by Aqeel to constitute a joint parliamentary committee to investigate the inclusion of sections of terrorism laws in the case against Anjum Aqeel Khan and on the issue of infringing and damaging the sanctity of 'Chader, Chardewari' of Aqeel by the police.
He further said that the FIA investigation team and Islamabad police could not be trusted for fair investigation in the cases against Anjum Aqeel Khan.