The United Kingdom Central Authority (UKCA) has asked Pakistan to furnish more information in response to Pakistani government’s request to the UK to seize Avenfield apartments belonging to the Sharif family.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability (SAPM) Shahzad Akbar Saturday told media that a request was submitted with the UKCA in which Pakistan had asked the British government to enforce the judgement of a Pakistani accountability court in this regard.
He said the British government had asked for further information which Pakistan is working to provide. “The Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) request is with the British government on Avenfield flats.”
Speaking to a private news outlet, Shahzad Akbar said that the process of accountability is fair and not aimed at any particular party, family or individual.
He said that during his three-day visit, he held talks with the British Home Secretary Sajid Javid, deputy chief crown prosecutor of the International Justice and Organised Crime Division Debbie Price, head of the UKCA Philomena Creffield and others.
Akbar said during these meetings, issues relating to pending MLA requests in around 25 cases were discussed. “We want these requests fast-tracked by the British government. What’s happening now between the UK and Pakistan is a departure from the past. There used to be no follow up in the past once MLAs were filed, but that has changed and now new mechanism and treaties are being signed between law enforcement agencies of the two countries.”
The PM’s aide claimed that Britain has assured him that “requests sent by Pakistan will be given top priority as that’s the objective of Naya Pakistan to bring back looted wealth on emergency basis”. He said that mechanism around treaties such as extradition and prisoners’ transfer was also discussed.
He said that matters relating to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London founder Altaf Hussain were not discussed during his meetings with the UK officials. “We didn’t discuss Altaf Hussain-related cases or his money-laundering case,” he said in reference to the case which the UK police had closed.
“There are many angles to the UK in our drive against corruption. We are only assisting the NAB. British justice system will take action when all legal formalities and procedures are done, and all litmus tests are done,” Akbar said.
He further said that the Pakistani government was not concerned about properties bought through legal means and legal sources of income. “We are going after properties which are suspected and could have been bought through proceeds of crime. Or the case of tax evasion and fraud,” the PM’s aide said.
