Haj scam FIA chief almost absolves PMs son

ISLAMABAD: The Haj scam took an interesting twist when the Federal Investigation Agency claimed on Monday that Abdul Qadir Gilani, son of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, was being investigated only about his luxury bullet-proof jeep and not for his alleged involvement in the bigger case.

He has nothing to do with the Haj scam; he is merely accused of evading duty while importing the jeep, FIAs Director General Waseem Ahmed
told Dawn after Abdul Qadir Gilani visited the FIA headquarters to record his statement.

Qadir Gilani met officials of the FIA, including its director general and investigation officers, and recorded his statement pleading that he had done nothing wrong while importing the vehicle.

The FIA team, which is investigating the Haj scam, asked questions related to Qadir Gilanis Land Cruiser.

Some of the questions he was asked were as follows: where was the jeep purchased? Who purchased it for him (Qadir Gilani)? Where did the money
come from? Was the customs duty on the vehicle paid? Is the vehicle mentioned in the assets of Qadir Gilani?

Earlier reports alleged that Qadir Gilani also was involved in the Haj scam; in fact on January 6, Mr Ahmed had informed the Supreme Court that two parliamentarians had in their statements to the FIA accused the prime ministers son of being involved in the scam.

Parliamentarians Pirzada Syed Ahmed Imran and Bilal Yasin have not only accused Abdul Qadir Gilani, but also his close friend Zain Mohammad Sukhaira, the FIA chief had told a seven-judge special bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

However, Mr Ahmed came up with a different story on Monday. We do not have a single piece of evidence involving Qadir Gilani in the Haj scam, he said. Although the case of Qadir Gilani is an offshoot of the Haj scam, it is only related to his vehicle.

After meeting FIA officials, Qadir ! Gilani t alked to the media and denied having done anything illegal with regard to the purchase of his car. I have paid the import duty on the vehicle, he said.

He said he had received a questionnaire from the FIA, adding that he would visit the agencys headquarters again if and when called.

Interestingly, the interior ministry invited the state-controlled media to cover the visit of Qadir Gilani to the FIA headquarters, but other journalists also reached there.

Qadir Gilani enjoyed official protocol at the FIA headquarters provided by the interior ministry.

The FIA had been directed by the Supreme Court to find out how Qadir Gilani had got the money for his bullet-proof jeep, which was reportedly imported from Dubai recently. The price of the vehicle is said to be more than Rs15 million. The agency was also directed to find out the role of Qadir Gilani in the appointment of former Haj DG Rao Shakeel Ahmad, adviser to Information Technology Ministry Zain Sukhaira and hiring of buildings for Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

The jeep had become a part of the Haj scam because it had been alleged that the prime ministers son had received Rs20 million from Rao Shakeel and the money was used to purchase the vehicle last year.