Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Thursday observed that the importance of truth and veracity was being increased in the system which was a good gesture.

He observed that the court would go to any extent for any sort of inquiry to get to the truth.

He added that the petitioner’s questions were attributed to being ‘Sadiq’ and ‘Amin’ due to non-disclosure of assets in income tax as well as in nomination papers.

The observations came after the three-member bench, hearing the case of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s disqualification, found discrepancies in the money trail regarding the purchase of Bani Gala property.

Naeem Bukhari has been arguing on behalf of Kaptaan after PTI’s counsel Anwar Mansoor concluded his arguments.

Unsatisfied with the revenue record and money trail, linking Niazi Services Limited (NSL) with Bani Gala property, the bench asked Bukhari to apprise it on formulated questions of the court.

The court asked that how the payment was made when the money was received later, adding that how it would be proved that when and how money transferred into account of the PTI chief’s close relative Rashid Khan.

The court observed that the two installments transferred in to the account of Rashid were named with Jemima Khan, asking that who transferred the other four installments as Rashid had not paid from his own pocket.

If the 495 kanals of land was transferred in Imran’s name after the divorce then why the documentation mentioned Jamima as his wife, the court asked.

As to how an offshore company, the NSL, of 9 pounds sterling could own assets worth 0.117 million pounds sterling, the court posed the question, further asking that whether or not it was required to disclose foreign assets in tax returns under the Pakistani law.

The court also asked the reasons of receiving rent from tenants until 2004 despite the fact that the London flat was already sold in 2003.

The bench asked the lawyer how he would reconcile the record. It further raised questions over the skipper’s failure to disclose his beneficial ownership of an offshore company in 2002 nomination papers.

The court asked the lawyer to provide complete record of Jemima’s bank statements.

On few of the discrepancies, Bukhari said that these could be mistake at the end of accountant. He, however, requested the bench to grant one-week time to respond the questions adding that Imran’s former wife would be contacted for the documents of transactions.

To this, Akram Sheikh, counsel for Hanif Abbasi, raised objection over the plea of granting time, adding that the bench was hearing this case leaving behind other important cases.

To this, the CJP told Sheikh that this was also an important case, adding that these points were not in his arguments but such questions, emanating from the arguments of Bukhari, were posed by the court itself.

The court also directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to submit entire record of pending case regarding foreign funding against PTI and its decision regarding maintainability and jurisdiction.

The court further directed the ECP to also place copy of the petition, filed by PTI in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging jurisdiction of ECP, and orders of IHC in this regard. The court adjourned the hearing until May 30.