ISLAMABAD: In an effort to avoid imminent legal action for owning undeclared overseas’ assets, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanum, has deposited half of her Dubai property's total cost with tax authorities.
Mrs Khanum paid 25 percent of total estimated amount of her luxurious flat, “The Lofts East-1406”, in taxes and 25 percent fine charges, informed officials said on Thursday. Premier’s sister was slapped with double penalty (taxes and fine) because she did not disclose the said property worth around Rs74 million. The said flat was located in heart of Dubai, adjacent to Burj Khalifa, the most expensive area in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), added the officials.
It took four weeks to legal team of Mrs Khanum for sealing a “successful deal” with officials of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), one of senior officials engaged in the whole process told this correspondent. Her legal team, however, has yet to respond key queries raised by the FBR and FIA officials pertaining to “a matter of overseas business dealing” through which the under questioned property was acquired years back.
Mrs Khanum, in her affidavit submitted with the FIA team, says, “The Lofts East-1460 was paid for from funds generated from my business dealing overseas. Further, I have already disposed of my property and have also informed the FBR about the purchase and sale of he said property.” The affidavit, also available with Geo News, was submitted by her legal team. Chaudhry Z Asharaf ,Advocate Lahore, was oath commissioner of this document.
The legal team of Mrs Khanum also informed office of the FIA Director General Bashir Ahmed Memon about the successful execution of process this week, informed officials further disclosed.
The list submitted by the FIA mentioned Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ‘benaami’ property. The agency had told the apex court that the premier’s sister had been sent a notice. Geo News also approached Mrs Khanum and her husband Sohail Amir Khan through email and whatApps time and again for her point of view, but she preferred not to respond. Meanwhile, informed officials told Geo News that around 20 other overseas’ properties owners, politically exposed persons in particular, who were put on notice by the FBR and FIA also deposited their taxes and fines. However, the FBR officially did not disclose the total volume of amount deposited by Mrs Khanum and other overseas property holders to seal the deal.
“The record of a taxpayer available with FBR is confidential and we cannot disclose the tax affairs of any taxpayer,” responded Dr Muhammad Iqbal, official spokesperson for FBR, when this correspondent sought his view point on this important matter. On October 27, the FIA had submitted in the Supreme Court the details of 44 close relatives of prominent political personalities who owned properties in the UAE.