Moonis bought assets abroad the day his father was sworn in

ISLAMABAD: Chaudhry Moonis Elahi purchased several properties in Spain on the day his father took oath as Chief Minister Punjab on July 27 last year, reveals the information obtained by the National Accountability Bureau from Spanish authorities.

Parking floors, a warehouse, an apartment, a Range Rover and a company are among the newly made assets apart from a bank account and previously incorporated companies. Moonis, while responding to The News, admitted their ownership and said he would declare them in his next year’s tax return. He said it was nothing more than a coincidence that the purchase of properties occurred on the day his father took the oath.

The NAB, through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) request to Spanish authorities, had sought bank account details of Moonis and the properties he owned there.

In addition, it inquired about the ownership of a four-star hotel, Barcelo Raval situated near the city centre of Barcelona, a building with multiple apartments located beside this hotel, multiple properties and old buildings in the Canary Islands near the Morocco border, multiple fruit orchards on the Canary Islands, a couple of apartments in Barcelona and the ownership of a cab service in the same city.

Responding to MLA, the Spanish authorities said it could share information about the assets in the name of Moonis who has acquired residence status in Spain as an investor.

According to the details provided, Moonis purchased three parking floors, one warehouse and one apartment on the day his father was sworn in. Parking spaces for vehicles, a warehouse and an apartment are situated in close proximity to each other in Barcelona facing the Avenida Eduard Maristany, 7. These five properties were purchased for EUR 1,675,000 from the seller, Marc Canaleta Caupena, on July 27 last year.

The Spanish authorities have also informed about a Ranger Rover vehicle, model VELAR, which Moonis purchased and registered in February this year. A month earlier, Moonis set up a company, Janaar SL. Its described purpose is the intermediation in the trade of fuel, minerals, metals and industrial chemical products. In December 2022, he set up a bank account in Caixa Bank SA.

Further details shared also suggest another company linked with Moonis. He contributed Eur 100,100 to Bismel Procon SA in 2004 for a share capital increase. This company was dissolved in 2015.

Saqib Tahir Chaudhry and Shafaat Hussain Chaudhry were their administrators. Saqib is a trusted man of the Chaudhry family in Spain and looks after their business interests. Shafaat is the younger brother of Chaudhry Shujaat.