Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: After the Qatari prince, son of a British-Pakistani officer has jumped in the Panamagate, claiming that the Sharif family bought Mayfair flats through money laundering. He said the illegal money was transferred in the bank accounts opened on his father name without any consent.

Kashif Masood, son of Masood Ahmed Qazi, a retired officer from London Stock Exchange, through a letter, said that his father was bluffed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who opened accounts in the name of Masood Qazi, the author’s father.

Unlike Qatari prince, the British son has consented to appear before the larger bench of the apex court, hearing Panama leaks case, in order to record his statement and testimony with more “substantial” evidences.

“I am a concerned Pakistani and to support the Supreme Court of Pakistan in delivering justice, I will send my report and papers. I have more documents and if required, I can appear before the court. The Mayfair homes had been bought through ill-gotten wealth earned through corrupt practices,” the letter of the author told Supreme Court.

The 74-page letter was sent to the Registrar of Supreme Court of Pakistan through email, a copy of which is available with Daily Times.

However, it is yet to be decided by the officials of Supreme Court of Pakistan whether the confidential document is admissible or not.

The author of the letter claimed that his family was once in close relations with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his father Masood Qazi even sponsored him to pursue his studies of accountancy in UK.

Qazi’s son, in his letter, stated that multiple inquiries have concluded that the bank accounts containing 5 million pounds were set up in the names of three of his members of his family, adding that these deposits were used to raise millions of pounds in loans, which were channeled into Sharif family-owned businesses.

The money was laundered through “fictitious bank accounts” in the names of three members of the Qazi family.

The Qazi family claimed that these accounts were set up – without their knowledge – with the assistance of Ishaq Dar. According to Qazi Family, the accounts were opened using copies of their passports, which they had given to Dar to obtain Pakistani ID cards on their behalf.

The letter stated that in 1992, the Qazi family received the first of a series of statements from the US banks in Lahore, indicating that three family members – Kashif, his mother Sikandra and her daughter-in-law Nuzhat Gohar – had balances totaling five million pounds.

According to Kashif Masood Qazi, about 440 millions moved through the accounts in his family members’ names.

The letter cited the UK government official documents mentioning details of these flats and their ownership since 1993.

The letter stated that the offshore companies, Nielsen and Nescoll, owned these Park Lane London flats since 1993. The author asked as to how the Sharif family pledged the flats with a UK bank in 1995 to obtain a financial facility without owning the offshore companies?

The 74-letter also cited notices of different banks, including Al Faysal Bank Limited, Atlas BOT Investment Bank Limited and Bank of America, Lahore, opened on name of Qazi family, calling for repayment of the loans taken for financially facilitating Hamza Board Mills Limited, Chaudhary Sugar Mills Limited, Hudabiya Engineers Private Limited Company and Mayfair flats.

Earlier, Qatari prince Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani had submitted an affidavit, saying that the Mayfair flats were gifted to Sharif Family by his father.