ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday directed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and party secretary general Jehangir Tareen to submit their replies over two separate petitions seeking disqualification from the National Assembly over their alleged tax evasion offshore companies. The top court, however, rejected Akram Sheikh’s plea, asking the apex court to club the petitions along with other Panamagate related petitions being heard by a five judge larger bench.
The decision to club the petitions with other related petitions would be made after examining the concise statements, the court ruled. During the course of the hearing, Akram Shiekh, counsel for Hanif Abbassi, told the court, falsely, that Khan and Tareen were also named in the Panama papers, adding that Khan earned money through illegal sources as he purchased assets in United Kingdom through an offshore company, namely Niazi Services Limited.
He said that Imran Khan also submitted a wrong declaration before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and invested in real estate by purchasing 300 kanals of land in Bani Gala, Islamabad which was not mentioned in the declaration submitted before the ECP.
The PTI chairman also purchased a luxury flat in the diplomatic enclave which was also not mentioned in the declaration. The petitions state that Jemima Khan, during her stay in Pakistan as a resident, did not file her income tax. This, according to him, showed that she was in fact dependent on her then husband (Imran Khan), and had no taxable income at the time.
“In the light of the foregoing, Respondent No. 1 was obliged to declare assets owned by Jemima Khan in his own wealth statements but he failed to do so, in violation of the mandatory provisions of the Income Tax Ordinance, 1979 and 2001”, stated the petition. It further stated that Imran has willfully violated the Income Tax Ordinance 1979 and 2001, by purchasing properties in the name of his ex-wife who then gifted these properties back to him soon after leaving Pakistan.
“Jemima Khan executed a General Power of Attorney on 12 April 2005 in London declaring that land measuring 300 Kanals and 5 marlas situated in Mohra Noor, Islamabad was purchased by Mr. Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi and that the land was transferred in her name by her ex-husband (Imran Khan) as a ‘Benami Transaction’ and that after their separation/divorce she did not intend to keep the land with her so she appointed Mr. Saifullah Sawar Khan Niazi to transfer the land in the name of Respondent No. 1. In fact, Respondent No.1 was the real owner of the said land since 2002.”
Likewise, Akram Sheikh informed the court that Jehangir Tareen evaded Rs 120 million in taxes only in 2010 and Rs 160 million in taxes in 2011. He said that Jehangir Tareen also owns offshore companies according to the Panama Papers, adding that he had violated the Representation of Peoples Act 1976 by not declaring fully his offshore company in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities filed before the ECP, along with his nomination papers for contesting the general elections, including that of 2013.
He requested the top court to disqualify Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen from National Assembly as well as holding or retaining any office of a registered political party as provided under the Political Parties Order 2002. He also asked the FBR and NAB etc to probe and investigate the financial declarations, misappropriation and evasion of both leaders. Likewise, the ECP be directed to carry out a comprehensive and detailed probe to scrutinise their tax returns and assets declarations. The bench directed both the respondents to submit their reply by November 15 and adjourned the hearing of the case till the same date.
