ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly former speaker and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Asad Qaiser has been arrested in the federal capital on Friday over corruption charges.
According to media reports, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Anti-Corruption Department apprehended him at his residence in Islamabad’s Bani Gala area. Asad Qaiser’s brother confirmed his arrest, stating that plainclothes individuals took him into custody from his home.
Reports indicate that he was detained by police and personnel from the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in connection with alleged corrupt practices related to the procurement of medical equipment for Gajju Khan Medical College in Swabi, Asad Qaiser’s hometown.
The Islamabad police denied involvement in his arrest, stating that they were not responsible for taking the former speaker into custody.
The First Information Report (FIR) filed against Asad Qaiser and four health department officials alleges the misuse of funds and medical equipment at the medical college.
Furthermore, an unlawful recruitment case in the education department involving Asad Qaiser, former provincial minister Shahram Tarkai, former chief minister’s advisor Abdul Karim Khan, and a deputy EDO, has been filed.
The case was officially registered at the Swabi police station following a complaint from the Swabi anti-corruption officer.
An Anti-Corruption spokesperson revealed that these illicit recruitments had resulted in an estimated cost of approximately 17.8 million rupees to the national treasury.
It’s worth noting that Asad Qaiser resigned from his position as National Assembly speaker to protect former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s seat after the opposition initiated a vote of no confidence against him.
