The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government allegedly hired an international law firm against the rules and paid them nearly Rs 68 million from the national exchequer, it emerged on Wednesday.
Documents available with the JEE News show that the Imran Khan-led government acting on the advice of Asset Recovery Unit chief Shahzad Akbar along with M/s GUERNICA International Law Firm in England. What was the deal?
The firm’s task was to find concrete evidence in cases pending in Pakistani courts against high-profile individuals. These cases are related to the Sharif family, former President Asif Ali Zardari and property tycoon Malik Riaz.
The documents show that a sum of Rs 67.459 million was paid to a British law firm headed by Toby M Cadman.
This payment was made for services rendered for the period between 1 February 2019 and 31 January 2020.
The company began operations from February 1, 2019 to January 31, 2020, without signing a formal agreement, the documents show.
The document further revealed that the Ministry of Interior had signed the contract on February 8, 2021 and the grace period was paid.
“The auditors of the case believe that the payment to the foreign law firm without the validity of the contract was illegal and lacked authority,” an official document revealed.
