IMRAN’S TOP AIDE BAJWA RESIGNS AFTER CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

Islamabad, Sept. 4: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s top aide Lt Gen ( retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa resigned on Friday after allegations that he used his offices to help the family set up several off- shore businesses.

Former Pakistan Army spokesman Bajwa, who also served as Commander of the Southern Command, rejected the allegations against him and resigned as special assistant to the prime minister ( SAPM) on information and broadcasting.

However, he would continue working as chairman of the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor ( CPEC) Authority.

The development followed after a report on a website alleged that Bajwa had used his offices in setting up offshore businesses of his wife, sons and brothers.

The report alleged that Bajwa’s younger brothers opened their first Papa John’s pizza restaurant in 2002, the year he started working as a Lieutenant Colonel on the General Pervez Musharraf ’ s staff.

It claimed that his brother Nadeem Bajwa, 53, who started as a delivery driver for the pizza restaurant franchise, another three brothers, his wife Farrukh Zeba and three sons now own a business empire which set up 99 companies in four countries, including a pizza franchise with 133 restaurants worth an estimated $ 39.9 million.

Out of the total 99 firms, 66 are main companies, 33 are branch companies of some of the main companies while five firms are dead now.

The Bajwa family’s companies spent an estimated $ 52.2 million to develop their businesses and $ 14.5 million to purchase properties in the US, according to the report.

Bajwa has rejected the allegations, saying they are incorrect and false and he was ready to prove it to any judicial forum.