Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded a probe into the “mysterious death” of an ex-employee of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was involved in a graft case.
Malik Maqsood Ahmad, popularly known as Maqsood ‘Chaprasi’ (peon), was a key figure in PKR 16 billion money laundering case against Shehbaz and his son Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Ahmad, 49, died in Dubai under “mysterious” circumstances, the report added.
This untimely death prompted the PTI to demand an independent investigation to ascertain the real cause of the person’s death as well as that of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), involved in the matter.
According to a Pakistani newspaper, Maqsood Ahmad was a co-accused and proclaimed offender in the money laundering case against the Pakistan PM and his family.
He had reportedly left for the United Arab Emirates in 2018, just before the Imran Khan’s party came to power.
Beleaguered PTI chief Imran Khan on several occasions has referred to Ahmad while attacking Sharif and his family in money laundering cases.
“It is very disturbing news. Those investigating the Sharifs or witnesses in their cases are dying suddenly. First, Dr Rizwan died suddenly. And now Maqsood Chaprasi, an important witness, in this case is also no more. That is why the Supreme Court has called the Sharifs ‘Sicilian Mafia’. We demand an investigation into both deaths,” former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry said in a tweet.
Another PTI leader Farrukh Habib also said the mysterious death of Maqsood raised several questions.
“After the Shehbaz Sharif government came to power, the sudden deaths of Dr Rizwan and Maqsood, and change of prosecutor in the money laundering case (against Shehbaz and others) are evident of the Sicilian Mafia,” he tweeted.