Panama Papers scandal: NAB springs into action against Moonis, Aleem

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has sprung into action against politicians whose names had appeared in the Panama Papers for establishing offshore companies, it is learnt.

On the orders of NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, Bureau’s Lahore office has launched probe against Moonis Elahi, former MPA and son of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Aleem Khan, senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as their names made headlines in the Panama Papers scandal for allegedly establishing offshore companies.

The office has written letters to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor, Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chairman, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman and the Financial Management Unit (FMU) director general and sought details about Moonis Elahi and Aleem Khan.

The NAB authorities have sought information from the SBP regarding remittances (inward and outward) of Moonis Elahi, his wife Tehreem Elahi, Aleem Khan and his wife Kiran Aleem Khan. NAB has asked the Bank to provide other details if there are any about them by January 23 to the Combine Investigation Team (CIT). Similarly, NAB has asked FBR chairman to submit information about tax returns of Aleem Khan and his wife Kiran Aleem Khan (owner of HEXAM Investment Overseas Ltd). Furthermore, NAB has sought details from the SECP about offshore company in the name of Moonis Elahi and his wife Tehreem Elahi. Complete record of the company has been sought regarding its directors or shareholders against the subject names.

The FMU DG has also been asked to provide information generated by the Unit regarding banking transactions by Aleem Khan and his wife Kiran Aleem Khan.

A NAB official said all other names mentioned in the Panama Papers are also under probe.

Talking to The News on Friday, the NAB official said that after collecting all relevant information from quarters concerned, the Bureau would summon Moonis and Aleem for recording their statements.

He confirmed that the PML-Q leadership including Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudhry Moonis Elahi are already being investigated for allegedly having assets beyond their known sources of income. The official said PTI leader Aleem Khan is also facing a probe regarding his Park View Housing Society. The NAB Lahore has also summoned Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for Monday regarding the affairs of Punjab Land Record Company (PLDC) in which, as per NAB calculation, the national exchequer suffered over one billion rupees loss.