Islamabad (October 25, 2017): The Supreme Court resumed hearing of Jahangir Tareen disqualification case here.
A three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, is hearing a petition seeking the disqualification of PTI chief Imran Khan and Mr Tareen for not disclosing their assets, owning offshore companies and the PTI being a foreign-aided party.
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The petition has been filed by PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi.
Tareen counsel Sikander Bashir Mohmand is continuing with his arguments before the bench.
During last hearing on Tuesday, Tareen counsel told the Supreme Court that his client’s offshore company held around 12 acres of property in the UK, which was worth 4.7 million pounds in 2011. However, the counsel conceded that his client had never disclosed the property to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) or the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
Unlike the Avenfield House properties owned by the Sharif family, Advocate Sikandar Bashir Mohmand maintained, there was a complete money trail for Mr Tareen’s Shiny View Limited, since the funds were remitted abroad while remaining within the confines of the law.
The property, known as Hyde House, was situated on Hyde Lane in Ecchinswell, a small village in Hampshire County, the counsel said.
The information was revealed before a three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, which is hearing a petition seeking the disqualification of PTI chief Imran Khan and Mr Tareen for not disclosing their assets, owning offshore companies and the PTI being a foreign-aided party.
“[My client has] completely reconciled [his] wealth and have never taken any advantage,” the counsel said.
On a query, the counsel explained that after taxes, the price of the land was 2.2 million pounds. Shiny View Limited, registered in the British Virgin Islands, then entered into an agreement for the construction of a house worth 2.5 million pounds on the same land.
PTI leader’s counsel insists property is not an ‘asset’; SC judge wonders whether trust agreement is a ‘camouflage’
The total amount remitted from Pakistan in 2011 was 4.7 million pounds, he said, adding that the company was created on April 27, 2011, while a formal trust deed was finalised on May 5, 2011, naming Mr Tareen as the settler.
The acquisition of the land was carried out on May 10, 2011, the counsel said, adding that the settlers could not revoke the trust since EFG Bank (Pvt) Ltd was the trustee.
During the proceedings, the counsel said that he had not filed certain private documents regarding the trust deed and the tax returns of Mr Tareen’s children because they had not been arraigned in the case.
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