Verdict on plea against foreign assets reserved

LAHORE

The Lahore High Court on Monday reserved verdict on maintainability of a petition against alleged foreign assets maintained by 64 personalities, including incumbent and former rulers and their families, advocates and two ex-chief justices.

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree filed the petition stating that the respondents/individuals transferred at least $400 billion to foreign countries through money laundering. He said by doing this the politicians caused a huge loss to national exchequer. He said these politicians had not yet submitted to the court their affidavits about the money laundering despite repeated court orders. He pleaded that Pakistan would have no need to obtain foreign loans if assets of the politicians were brought back to return the international loan of the country.

He asked the court to issue directions to these politicians to bring back their assets to country.

Counsel of the government opposed the petition for being filed for cheap publicity. The law officer argued that the petitioner had not provided any document in support of allegations. He asked the court to dismiss the petition. 

The respondents include incumbent Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his wife Kalsoom Nawaz, son Hussain Nawaz, and brother Shahbaz Sharif (Punjab Chief Minister), PTI chief Imran Khan and his former wife Jemima Goldsmith, former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and his wife, former president Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Faryal Talpur, former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf, interior minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan, former interior minister Rehman Malik, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Ali Khan, Pervaiz Elahi, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Malik Riaz Hussain.