Foreign assets case: LHC issues notices to 63 politicians

E-Paper | July 03, 2026

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday issued notices to 63 politicians, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on a petition seeking directions for the politicians to bring their foreign assets back to Pakistan, DawnNews reported.

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafri had filed this petition originally in 1996 against 26 political leaders and later amended it, adding more names of politicians to it.

The petitioner informed the court today that politicians were not responding to notices despite court orders.

He said advertisements had also been published in the country’s leading daily Dawn but no one was prepared to come forward.

Jafri said Rs300 billion had been transferred to other countries through money laundering, adding that it was not an ordinary sum.

He also said the case had been ongoing since 1996.

Jafri said Pakistan would have no need to get foreign loans if timely action had been taken to bring the assets of the politicians back to the country.

Justice Khalid Mehmood Khan remarked that contempt of court investigation would be carried out against those politicians who did not respond despite posting of advertisements.

The politicians include PM Nawaz, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid chief Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, former president Asif Ali Zardari, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam – Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman and PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan.

Also read: LHC issues notices to 63 politicians over foreign assets

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Usman

Jun 06, 2014 11:52am

Whoever the petitioner is, he seems to be totally ignorant. Imran Khan's assets are in Pakistan so his name on the list makes utterly no sense.

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Akhter Husain

Jun 06, 2014 12:19pm

Futile exercise and waste of time.We,as a nation ,are profit oriented and this is the only ethics we follow.Fear of God and fear of law is alien to us.The Honorable Judges may find some other cases to be in limelight and Mr Jafri may use his skills some where else.

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waqar

Jun 06, 2014 12:21pm

These Politician should face the Court and get clean chit. Because all along they have been telling people that, they have restored present Judicial System. This is a real article 62/63 case other wise they should also face Article 6.

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waqar

Jun 06, 2014 12:43pm

let IK FACE the music and get Clearance. Could be Others will also have no excuse.

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Nadir

Jun 06, 2014 12:48pm

@Usman If IK's assets are in Pakistan, then he must come to LHC and give evidence.

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Uxman

Jun 06, 2014 12:55pm

Will they ever be locked behind bars for corruption?? I am waiting for this miracle to happen

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haris

Jun 06, 2014 01:14pm

IK has been given a golden opportunity to bolster his image in the country. He should quickly comply with the court orders and declare all his assets and come out clean.

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khanm

Jun 06, 2014 01:15pm

it is just a drama LHC wants people to know that it is doing something...your history of 65 years or so ,have you seen any one has been jailed...so read the news and move on to the next lie..For far too long the world's poorest people have seen no benefit from the vast natural resources in their own backyards. It is time to end the injustice where ordinary people are silent witnesses, left to suffer without basic services, as the profits from their countries' assets are hidden and plundered by corrupt regimes....

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Yaseen

Jun 06, 2014 01:28pm

That is exactly the sort of response you can expect from a Junooni blinded by the words of IK again.

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Omer Akram

Jun 06, 2014 01:32pm

Interesting, Lets see what Imran have got against him or is it just mere defamation.

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haris

Jun 06, 2014 01:54pm

@khanm baat tou aap ki sahi hai.

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haris

Jun 06, 2014 01:56pm

@Yaseen junooni bhi and blinded too?

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khurram

Jun 06, 2014 02:02pm

Sent notice..haha gud joke...poor people are just suffering n getting high blood pressure after reading these figures but nothing is gonna happen.

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mehboob malik

Jun 06, 2014 02:19pm

@waqar IK is the only politician who has already asked the same. Why not govt pursue this? This is govt responsibility to get the Pakistan's money back, who is stopping them from doing this?

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Faheem Mubarak Babar

Jun 06, 2014 02:43pm

One thing is true, all the politician should bring their money back to Pakistan, and fix it in the PK Banks, if the money is legal,

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Concerned Citizen

Jun 06, 2014 03:30pm

@Usman Then why is he unable to respond to the court notices?

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Jun 06, 2014 03:48pm

Lets see how IK will respond to this allegations. After all he has children in the elite school in London and lives himself quite a live style. It will be interesting to know where all those assets are coming, form if at all.

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Khan

Jun 06, 2014 04:03pm

Let the Court prove its not a joke.With Sharif brothers names included nothing is expected.Remember Justice Qayum Showbaz Sharif conversation released on the net?

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Aman Jan

Jun 06, 2014 04:15pm

@Usman why are you so quick to respond to Imran khan's name only. Let the courts decide

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muhammad

Jun 06, 2014 05:28pm

@Usman If all IK assets are in Pakistan then why are you so worried about it let the law take its course

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muhammad

Jun 06, 2014 05:56pm

Can our Courts would be able to convict the criminals of such a big stature

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Daniel Shiger

Jun 06, 2014 05:57pm

I think the petitioner is more ignorant that you think. All these politicians claim that their total assets are in Pakistan. They may even claim in near future that they dont have any assets at all.

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dawn

Jun 06, 2014 06:12pm

This is great news. But everyone involved in the country's political scene ought to be checked out.

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Riaz Murtaza

Jun 06, 2014 06:13pm

No doubt it is a good move. But the poor people of Pakistan want to see it implemented too. News only doesn't serve they want action.

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msalvi

Jun 06, 2014 06:23pm

Interestingly, Musharraf's name is not on the list. If his name is put on the list, he will respond, and make others look midgets. He is a brave man, and of principle. Let's make him free and let him solve the nation's problems.

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Syed Ahmed

Jun 06, 2014 06:25pm

Is the LHC serious?

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Aysha

Jun 06, 2014 06:40pm

Topi drama

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Aysha

Jun 06, 2014 06:47pm

@rh , If you are blaming IK for educating his children in expensive schools of london, keep in mind that mother of his children is not a pakistani and a rich woman (who must be supporting her children to have a luxurious life). And Imran cant tell her to bring her money to pakistan. Got it :) ?

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Shuaib

Jun 06, 2014 06:53pm

@Usman how do you know? Where did he get Rs. 2-6 crore for his bullet proof car>

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Mohammad Akhtar

Jun 06, 2014 08:34pm

LHC thanks for the notices, please reach in the depth and punish those who stole the money by corruption so future politicians learn a lesson.

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Saif Riza

Jun 06, 2014 11:56pm

Why only politicians ?

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Asif

Jun 07, 2014 01:57am

yeap only Man (Mussharaf) who is bold enough to face his allegations is in pakistan but these thugs are not going to come clean because all of these politicians are dirty. So called religious figure Fazl-ur Rehman is also part of this list. I just hope someone should do what Kamal Ata-turk did once. Send them on a ship and drowned them once they are in the deepest part of the oceans. If God willing one day it will happen

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kirther

Jun 07, 2014 03:07am

There is no doubt that PMN-L and PPP leadership have accumulated their wealth either unethically or through misuse of their official positions. Nawaz Shariff's business was nationalized by Zufiquar Ali Bhutto which he got back by exploiting his contacts with General Zia rather than open auction and also by other means, while PPP leadership was famously known as Mr.10 percent during Benazir Bhutto's term--but unfortunately, while in power they have taken care of all evidences against them.

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Irshad Khan

Jun 07, 2014 05:54am

This seems to be a joke charging the rulers and their friends, Judges in Lahore High Court are politically motivated and cowards, nothing will happen at the end. I am still waiting to see the killer of Salman Taseer hanged but I heard every Judge in Punjab has refused to hear the case. I heard in the news that 17 policemen are sentenced to death in India for killing a man in their custody, may be our Judges can get some guidance from Indian Judges.

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Jun 07, 2014 06:21am

@Aysha I am not blaming IK it is merrily stating a fact. I am sure IK as a proud father will do his part of the financial responsibility as it is done all over the world. I think it is a legitimate question to be asked to a politician that states that all his assets are in Pakistan.

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Pathanoo

Jun 07, 2014 07:41pm

YEAH! SURE.

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Sultan Alvi, Canada

Jun 08, 2014 02:05am

Imran Khan should take the lead in this case and be the first in line at the LHC, and get a clean chit for his assets. I believe all his assets are in Pakistan.

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Iktidar

Jun 10, 2014 12:21am

The only thing this case will serve is to clear the name of Sharif Bros. They don't have anything in their own names so, nothing will be proven and PML-N will quote this forever that courts cleared them. Cases that have some hopes of being proven will be kept on hold forever in protection of stay orders and this drama will overshadow other more real cases.......pathetic.

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Rasheed Minhas

Jun 13, 2014 06:22pm

Nothing will come out of this or any other corruptions cases against the politicians. We are in Pakistan. Politicians make rules to benefit themselves - removal of two terms, removal of minimum education, etc , etc. We are doomed.

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