Imran’s entire money trail of Banigala submitted to SC: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry Tuesday claimed entire money trail of how Banigala property was bought had been submitted to the Supreme Court (SC) and now the case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan would be trashed into a dustbin.

Talking to journalists here outside the Supreme Court, Fawad claimed that the judgement in the Panama case was expected in three-four days with which the whole PML-N leadership would be thrown into a dustbin. “The record of Imran’s financial assets provided to the Supreme Court is simply explained and transparent and far beyond that asked for in the petition filed against him by PML-N,” he said.

He vehemently refuted the allegations of money laundering and tax evasion leveled against Imran. He asserted that the petitions against Imran were destined to be declared as trashed by the apex court since the allegations leveled in these petitions were politically motivated. “Imran’s crime is not the Banigala property but pursuing the Panama case,” he claimed.

Fawad contended that PML-N wanted to avenge Imran for Panama probe against the Sharif family. He went on to say unlike Sharifs, who were also guilty of perjury and forgery besides corruption, PTI chairman brought back his foreign earnings to Pakistan.

He explained Imran started earning money abroad when he began playing cricked during his days as a student at University of Oxford, England. “Imran was selected to play cricket for Pakistan, also for Worcestershire from 1971. He played for Sussex County from 1977 to 1988. All the payments Imran received had income tax deducted from them at source.

Fawad noted that Imran also played for the Kerry Packer series. In 1984, Imran mortgaged a one-bedroom apartment in London and made the payment from his savings and earnings in span of five years. Later on, he sold the apartment and bought land in Banigala. All the financial details have been gathered and submitted in the court. “Banking proved by banking transactions, as to how money was arranged for the Banigala property purchase,” he claimed.

“Imran Khan produced unambivalent money trail despite having no conflict of assets and means. When you make assets by legitimate means, you don't have to hide behind forged documents and fake stories,” said Secretary General PTI Jahangir Khan Tareen in a statement.

Tareen has stated that despite not holding any public office, nor breaking any laws, Imran was still producing a 40-year-old money trail before the nation and in SC. He further stated Nawaz Sharif had been caught on possessing assets beyond declared resources and that was why a money trail eluded him.

He challenged Nawaz Sharif and every other political leader to show such kind of financial transparency as Imran did. “Truth is the ultimate power. When the truth comes around, all the lies have to run and hide,” said Tareen.

“SECP is guilty of record tampering and Pemra is filing false statements in the apex court. What is the punishment for those guilty of destroying state institutions?” questioned Member National Assembly and senior leader PTI Asad Umar  while raising concerns over inefficiency of state institutions due to excessive political influence.

In a statement, Asad Umar said that a pattern of systemic destruction of institutions was burgeoning. “Message from the rulers to all those working in state institutions; obey us not the law”.

He continued that SBP acting governor punished for taking a decision within his legal powers without prior approval of finance minister and Nepra when refused to pass on the cost of government’s incompetence and corruption to consumers the government attempted to change the law and subjugate Nepra. “All these measures depict the plight of state institutions being destroyed at the hands government in a bid to meet its vicious agenda”, Asad concluded.