Islamabad, Jun 10 (IANS): The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has demanded an investigation after a key figure in the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) 16 billion PKR money laundering case against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz died in Dubai "under mysterious circumstances".
The PTI has demanded an independent investigation to ascertain the real cause the death of Malik Maqsood Ahmad, a former employee of the Sharifs, as well as into the passing of FIA investigator Dr Muhammad Rizwan, reports Dawn news.
Rizwan, 47, was the FIA Lahore director who reportedly died of a heart attack last month. He had proceeded on a long leave just before the formation of the PMLN-led coalition government and was later transferred from his office.
Ahmad, 49, popularised as Maqsood 'Chaprasi' (peon) by PTI leaders through their mention of his name incessantly to criticise the Sharif family's alleged corruption, was a co-accused and proclaimed offender in the money laundering case.
He had reportedly left for the UAE in 2018, just before the PTI came to power.
According to FIA special prosecutor Farooq Bajwa, Maqsood's death would not impact the money laundering case.
"Maqsood was a suspect and not a witness, thus his death will not affect the case," Bajwa told Dawn.
Meanwhile, Khan, also the PTI Chairman while commenting on Pakistan Economic Survey in a televised address on Thursday, demanded inquiries into the deaths of Rizwan and Maqsood.
He claimed that the house of a NAB officer probing cases against former President Asif Ali Zardari was raided to intimidate him, Dawn news reported.
Taking to Twitter, former PTI Minister Fawad Chaudhry said: "It is very disturbing news. Those investigating the Sharifs or witnesses in their cases are dying suddenly. First, Rizwan died suddenly. And now Maqsood Chaprasi, an important witness, in this case is also no more. That is why the Supreme Court has called the Sharifs ‘Sicilian Mafia'. We demand investigation into both deaths."