Helicopter misuse case: Imran Khan questioned by anti-graft body

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and Prime Minister in-waiting Imran Khan was questioned by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Peshawar on Tuesday in a case pertaining to his alleged misuse of the provincial government's helicopters during his party's tenure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The anti-corruption body is investigating Khan for causing a Rs 2.17 million loss to the provincial exchequer by using the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's helicopters -- Mi-17 and an Ecureuil helicopter -- for 74 hours.

A questionnaire prepared by NAB with 15 queries was handed to Khan and his lawyers. The PTI chief has 15 days to submit his response. Khan was accompanied by former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and former speaker of the provincial assembly Asad Qaiser, Geo News reported.

The anti-corruption body officials said that Khan was "interrogated inside the NAB office for more than one hour".

Khan had been summoned by the accountability body on July 18, but had sought more time to appear due to his "busy schedule". He had submitted an application to the NAB through his counsel Babar Awan seeking another date to appear in the case.

On January 29, Geo News reported that the former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spent millions of rupees on Khan's use of the provincial government's helicopters.

The former cricketer is scheduled to take oath of office as the Prime Minister next week.

--IANS

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