Hanif Abbasi submits additional documents in case against Imran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi, the petitioner seeking disqualification of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Secretary General Jahangir Tareen for non-disclosure of their assets, ownership of offshore companies, and for PTI being a foreign-aided party submitted some additional documents to the Supreme Court (SC).

He contended that the PTI chief had not disclosed to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) his London flat as well as loan procured from his ex-spouse Jemima Khan in the statements of assets and liabilities from 2003 and onward.

The petitioner prayed the apex court that as the PTI chief misrepresented his financial details to the Election Commission of Pakistan which he was required to do so as per law hence, he should be disqualified from the membership of parliament under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.

Imran Khan informed the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday that the Banigala land was, in fact, the property of Imran Khan’s ex-wife and was declared as such and the payment to Jemima Khan by Imran Khan was a matter between husband and wife, not declarable to any authority.

Imran Khan filed his concise statement in the petitions through advocate Naeem Bukhari, who submitted before the court that the payment to Jemima Khan by Imran Khan was a matter between husband and wife, not declarable to any authority because prior to June 30, 2003, and during July 1, 2002 till June 30, 2003, the issue had been settled between a husband and wife, leaving nothing to declare to any authority, including the ECP.

The PTI chief submitted that the London flat was purchased through foreign earnings, which did not require disclosure in Pakistan nor were remitted in Pakistan to make it mandatory for such disclosure. However, tax at source was deducted by the two countries from rent receivable as and when the flat was put on rent. It was submitted that the sale price of the London flat was created into NSL Barclays Call Account GB Pounds.

It is from this account that GB Pounds 562,415.54 were instructed to be remitted to the account of Jemima Khan, the court was informed adding that email dated 16.5.2017 was sent at 11.07am by Taher Nawaz to Jamey Dywer copied to Ashley Cox. In response and only after due confirmation which is a condition/precedent before confirmation the reply dated 22.5, 2017 was sent.

This confirmation was just not possible without the due verification process, the concise statement submitted.  It was contended that London apartment was disposed of on April 14, 2003 and there was no foreign asset to be declared before the Election Commission of Pakistan or the FBR as at the cut-off date for the respective statement that is June 30, 2003, there was no asset in London.

On September 12, a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar questioned the authenticity of the documents pertaining to the transactions took place between PTI Chief Imran Khan and his spouse saying the documents so far submitted before it were photocopies of his statements of assets submitted to the ECP, income tax returns and loan worth over Rs40 million.

During the course of hearing, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that some of the entries made in the statement were not proved yet adding that the respondent, PTI chief had not attached details of the money trail for the purchase of Banigala property.

Similarly, the money that the respondent had claimed to have borrowed from his wife was not yet verified, the court had observed. The chief justice had further said that the other side, the petitioner was raising objection to the total amount of transactions of $126,000 took place between the respondent and his spouse.

Naeem Bukhari, counsel for Imran Khan informed the court that he had submitted his reply following the court orders. The chief justice however, observed that missing financial details of Imran’s Banigala property had yet to be submitted.

The chief justice questioned as to where the transactions’ receipts were which proved that the PTI chief borrowed money from her spouse Jemima and returned it to her later. Similarly, the court observed that the respondent’s reply did not include details of how the property was purchased in Jemima’s name. The chief justice asked Naeem Bukhari to satisfy the court regarding the 160,000 pounds. The bench will resume hearing into the instant case today (Tuesday).