Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday failed to provide a comprehensive history of his finances to the Supreme Court, which is hearing a petition seeking Khan's disqualification over the non-disclosure of assets, ownership of offshore companies and receiving foreign funding for his party.
Khan, in a written reply to the SC, admitted that he had not been able to procure all documents required to substantiate how he came to own assets held in London. Naeem Bukhari, Khan's counsel, submitted the PTI chief's reply in court.
The reply stated that Khan had played county cricket for the Worcestershire County Cricket Club (from 1971) and Sussex County Cricket Club from 1977 to 1988. It said both clubs do not keep records for more than twenty years, which is why the record of his employment and the money Khan made during his association with the teams was missing from statements he submitted before the court.
According to the reply, the flat in London was mortgaged in 1984 and an initial payment was made for 61,000 pounds sterling against the total cost of the flat, which was worth 117,500 pounds. The flat's mortgage was to last 20 years but was settled in 1989 (within 68 months) after Khan completed all payments due.
The reply further stated that Khan had financed the mortgage from money he received from Sussex and the Kerry Packer cricket series, while money he received for playing for the New South Wales cricket team in Australia (years 1984-1985) was used to finance interest payments on the mortgage.
"The money I made abroad was through legal means and there was no money laundering involved," Khan said in his written reply.
Later today, PTI Spokesman Fawad Chaudhry, addressing a press conference, said that the party's lawyers had submitted all financial documents pertaining to acquisition of Imran Khan's Bani Gala property, as well as the money trail for Khan's London flat.
"If necessary, we will even provide the record of the Eidi Imran Khan received in his childhood," Chaudhry quipped.
On July 13, the SC had directed the PTI chairman to submit financial details for his London flat by July 25.
The SC's registrar office, on July 21, had also sent Imran Khan a notice for not submitting documents that the court had called for.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had earlier commented on the matter, saying: "People who call others thieves should be able to provide their own financial details in court."
