Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Hearing a petition seeking disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday observed that the court was reviewing the integrity of a person.

A three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Faisal Arab was hearing a petition filed by PML-N leader Hanif Abbassi seeking disqualification of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Secretary-General Jahangir Tareen for non-disclosure of their assets, ownership of offshore companies, and PTI being a foreign-aided party.

The chief justice asked Naeem Bukhari, counsel for Imran Khan, to provide details pertaining to the amount of 99,000 poundssterling.

He noted that in 2002 there was zero balance in the account of Niazi Services Limited (NSL), whereas now the matter related to 99,000 pounds had surfaced before the court. He sought details of the usage/expenditures of the said amount.However, Naeem Bukhari could not satisfy the court.

The chief justice noted that the court has to look into the details of spending of 99,000 pounds sterling. He said the court was reviewing the integrity of a person. Justice Faisal Arab asked that from where the money for London flat came.

Bukhari assured the court that he will provide the court all details and proofs of the money trail.

Akram Sheikh, counsel for Hanif Abbasi, contended that it was still unclear that the money for purchasing the land in Bani Gala came from Jemima or paid by Imran Khan.

During the hearing, Akram Sheik argued that Nawaz Sharif was not disqualified by the apex court on the basis of dishonesty, but for not having declared his Iqama and the salary he had even not received from his son’s Dubai-based company Capital FZE.

He said Imran Khan being the beneficial owner of NSL had asset of 100,000 pounds sterling in the company’s account, but he did not disclose it before the Election Commission of Pakistan in the nomination papers, thus he was liable to be disqualified as a member of the parliament.

When the court inquired as to how the transactions between a man and his wife be treated, Akram Sheikh contended that the apex court had already set a precedent by dismissing Nawaz Sharif’s review petition in the Panama Papers case. He said whether it is a man and his son or a man and his wife, the court had established a precedent in the Panama Papers case.

Meanwhile, Bukhari also submitted a letter written by the PTI chief to his bank in 2003 for the transfer of the amount into his former wife’s account. The court asked Bukhari to explain the details about usage of 99,000pounds which were kept in the NSL account. Bukhari, however assured the court that he will provide the details. The court will hear today (Thursday) the petition relating to PTI General-Secretary Jehangir Tareen.

Published in Daily Times, October 4^th 2017.