SC to decide basic issue of non-declarations in Imran’s case

ISLAMABAD: The offshore company of PTI chief and its bank accounts remained operational till October 2015, closed after six months of the start of examination of Panama Papers in May 2015, but neither the company nor its bank accounts were ever declared by Imran Khan.

The last five years’ bank statement of offshore company’s bank accounts can be easily obtained from the Jersey authorities.

The financial experts in the UK declare that details of bank accounts and bank statements for the last five years could easily be acquired from authorities in Jersey, Channel Islands — the jurisdiction where the hidden offshore company of PTI chief was registered back in 1983. The PTI chief used to handle many of his transactions using bank accounts associated with his offshore company. It is proved through the documents presented in the apex court that the Barclays Bank account of Imran Khan’s offshore company Niazi Services Limited (NSL) remained operational even after he sold his London flat in 2003 but even this bank account was never declared by him in his annual FBR returns or his nomination papers to contest the 2002 and 2013 general elections.

Despite many promises with the nation and the media, PTI chief Imran Khan never shared the bank statements of bank accounts of NSL due to unknown reasons. The bank statements were apparently kept secret as these bank accounts were never declared by him in his returns or nomination papers.

The issue of non-declaration of his assets is the basic issue in the case of PTI chief. Though majority of the transactions of money received by Imran Khan through his friend Rashid Khan were never declared by him, yet this issue can be thoroughly probed by an investigation agency and the apex court has to decide the basic issue of non-declarations.