‘Pack of lies’: PTI rebuts claims Imran’s Bani Gala residence NOC is fake

ISLAMABAD: Amir Kyani, president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) North Punjab chapter, on Wednesday rebutted a former local government official’s statement that the Bara Kahu union council did not issue the no-objection certificate (NOC) for party chief Imran Khan’s Bani Gala residence.

“Statements by the additional deputy commissioner and secretary are a pack of lies,” he said in a video message.

Former secretary of the union council in Bara Kahu, Mohammad Umar, claimed in the Supreme Court today that the NOC submitted by Imran in the court related to his Bana Gala residence was never issued by the local authority.

Kyani termed Umar’s claims a pack of lies and said everything, from buying land to construction of the Bani Gala residence, was done as per law.

"No permission was needed for the mansion’s construction but even then Imran directed me to acquire a written order," claimed the PTI leader.

Kyani claimed he and his father visited the UC office of Bara Kahu to acquire the NOC and he collected the documents personally.

He further added that he will present himself in court to record his statement if he is summoned.

Slamming “political jesters” for cropping up mischief against Imran, Kayani said these people have faced embarrassment in courts previously too.

Mohammad Umar, in his reply to the apex court, claimed the NOC dates back to 2003, when he was posted as a secretary at the union council office.

The NOC is a computerised copy whereas the union council had no computer systems and work was done manually, Umar elaborated.

Umar claimed the blueprint for the residence was also fake, saying the union council had asked Imran to submit a blueprint for a go-ahead but it was never submitted.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had declared the construction of the PTI chairman's house illegal in a hearing on May 9, 2017.

Imran’s Bani Gala residence NOC and blueprint fake, says former union council official

CDA had declared the construction of the PTI chairman's house illegal in a hearing on May 9, 2017

The apex court had ordered CDA to verify the documents submitted by the PTI chairman.

A report was submitted by CDA in Supreme Court which stated that the authority has declared 122 buildings illegal which included Imran Khan’s Bani Gala residence.

It said that the construction was against the regulations of Islamabad Capital Territory.

In a hearing on Februrary 13, the Supreme Court summoned property documents of the Bani Gala residence of from the CDA.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar warned that the residential structures in Bani Gala would be demolished if they are not as per the laws and regulations of CDA.

"Building regulations must be abided by," the chief justice remarked during the hearing on illegal structures in Bani Gala.

Imran's counsel Babar Awan maintained that CDA has no authority over private properties, adding that the constructions around Rawal Dam are illegal.