Among top politicians, two ex-PMs do not own personal cars

ISLAMABAD: A number of leading Pakistani politicians including two former Prime Ministers do not own a single personal car according to their nomination papers filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the upcoming elections.

The “poor” politicians without cars include former Prime Ministers Yusuf Raza Gilani and Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, PPP Co-Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PML-N top leaders Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shahbaz Sharif. The heads of two top religious parties Jamat-e-Islami’s Sirajul Haq and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also do not own any car, as per their nomination papers.

Among top politicians, former Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah declared the highest number of cars jointly owned by his family. He mentioned 17 cars in his papers. Sheikh Rashid Ahmad of Awami Muslim League also declared three cars in his papers. One of them is Toyota double cabin, one Toyota land cruiser and one is a tractor trolley. Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi owns two cars according to his nomination papers.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, one of the richest politicians as per his own nomination papers does not own a single car. His net asset worth was Rs1.54 billion in June 2017 and he even owns weapons worth Rs3 million. However, luckily Bilawal’s father Asif Ali Zardari owns six bulletproof vehicles including three Toyota land cruiser, two BMW cars and one Toyota Lexus.

Imran Khan with his assets worth Rs38.69 million also does not own a car as per his declaration with the ECP. Maryam Nawaz Sharif, daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif mentioned no car is her assets which are worth Rs845.95 million. According to his nomination papers Hamza Shahbaz, son of former Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif also does not own a car despite having assets worth Rs411.2 million. Former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani owns assets worth Rs77.5 million but that does not include any vehicle whatsoever.

Similarly another former Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali does not own a car. JUI head Maulana Fazlur Rehman declared assets worth Rs7.7 million in his nomination papers but maintain that he owns no car. JI Chief Sirajul Haq is also one of the leaders with no cars as per his papers which show his assets worth Rs2.93 million.

Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfand Yar Wali Khan owns assets worth Rs40.1 million but his car is pretty old as per his nomination papers. The ANP chief owns 1988 model Toyota Corolla which is now seen rarely especially in the parking lot of the parliament.