ISLAMABAD: A contract for the construction of a multi-million dollars luxury hotel in Nathiagli was awarded to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf donor Mumtaz Muslim.
According to reports, Mumtaz Muslim, a business magnate and president of Dreshak Group, has been awarded a contract to build a luxury hotel in a hill station and mountain resort town located in the Abbottabad District of KPK.
The security firm claims it has provided around 15,000 specialised non-combat security personnel to the American forces in the Iraq war. Muslim, who donated around $25,000 to PTI, is president of Dreshak Security Solutions Inc., which operates a hotel chain and security firm.
The report stated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government returned the ‘favour’ to its longtime donor by awarding a lucrative contract to build a luxury hotel in the tourist destination.
According to the report, Muslim met Imran Khan at his Banigala residence oi April 15, 2018. After this meeting, Imran Khan decided to appoint him his special adviser. Mumtaz’s name also appeared in the media as a PTI leader when the FIA released a list of Pakistanis who own properties in the UAE.
The PTI donor reportedly met with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Mahmood Khan two months before the Dreshak Group was awarded the hotel contract in the month of June.
Mumtaz Muslim has a well-established security-related company based in the UAE that provided manpower to guard the American forces combating in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Pandora Papers recently released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) also listed Mumtaz Ahmed Muslim’s name who owns an offshore company Dreshak Security Solutions Inc.
Meanwhile, KP government spokesperson Barrister Saif has rejected the allegations and said that contract has been awarded in accordance with the law and reports of CM KP favouring Mumtaz Muslim are baseless.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had denied having any information about Mumtaz Muslim’s security company. Regarding the hotel contract, he said Mumtaz Muslim received it through open bidding.
When asked about Mumtaz Muslim’s meeting with Chief Minister KP a month prior to the contract awarding, he said the provincial government did not award the contract. He said Mumtaz Muslim is a staunch party supporter and a former party member.
