*ISLAMABAD – The Senate Standing Committee on Finance was left infuriatedafter a top official of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said he wasunaware of the account in which £190 million received from United KingdomNational Crime Agency (NCA) were deposited.*
While briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, chaired by FarooqH Naek, SBP Deputy Governor Jamil Ahmad said that Pakistan has received 190million pounds from United Kingdom’s NCA in the National Bank of Pakistan(NBP) but was unaware of the account wherein the money was deposited.
His statement infuriated the members and Senator Mushahid Ullah said,“Standing committee is extension of the Parliament and he [deputy governor]is not giving answer to the members’ questions with regard to details of190 million pounds.”
Senator Mushahid also inquired from the deputy governor about $450 millioninflows into the SBP when the former Prime Minister was going abroad. Hesaid that inflow led to speculations of some kind of deal and wanted toknow whether SBP has been purchasing dollars from the market or not.
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“We purchase dollars from the market if there is an opportunity, but thesenator’s statement that SBP has been purchasing 200 million dollars fromthe market every week is inaccurate,” Ahmad said.
Days ago, the British government transferred the settlement amount of £190million to the Pakistani government after the UK’s NCA agreed settlement ofproperty and assets worth billions of rupees belonging to a Pakistanibusiness tycoon in Frozen Funds investigation.
