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SC seeks documents proving money for Bani Gala property was gift from Jemima
The counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Thursday sought to respond to the questions asked by the Supreme Court regarding the transfer of funds for the purchase of his Bani Gala property.
The three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, resumed hearing PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi’s petition in which disqualification of Khan and PTI secretary general Jahangir Khan Tareen had been sought over non-disclosure of assets, existence of offshore companies owned by Khan and Tareen as well as PTI being a foreign-aided party.
Khan's lawyer Naeem Bokhari told the court that PTI chief's former wife Jemima had gifted Rs6.5m to her then husband and the money was returned. The court asked that documents of bank transactions be provided to prove the same.
Bokhari presented a letter sent by Jemima via email before the bench, verifying that Khan had returned 562,000 pounds.
"You have not presented the arguments you are making today in any previous hearing," Chief Justice Nisar responded, adding that Bokhari had not disclosed before that Khan's ex-wife Jemima had given Rs6.5 million as a gift to him.
At this, the counsel said that monetary exchange between wife and husband does not qualify as a loan and "financial issues between the two are personal matters".
The chief justice then observed that the allegation against Khan is that he acquired the Bani Gala property through money laundering, which the PTI chief has denied.
"Where are the details regarding the transfer of the sum from Jemima’s account and the return of that sum from Imran Khan’s account?" Justice Nisar asked.
Bokhari said Jemima had received 562,000 pounds, to which Justice Umar Atta Bandial asked for documents proving the same.
The chief justice observed that Khan has so far provided money trail of only three payments, including those of $33,000, $270,000 and 20,000 pounds.
Documents showing money had travelled from the account of Niazi Services Limited (NSL), Khan's offshore company, to Jemima's account could fill the gaps in the money trail, Justice Nisar observed.
FBR, not ECP, can inquire about assets
Bokhari recalled that the court had also sought answers to two other questions in the last hearing: why Imran Khan had not declared before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) the presence of 75,000 British pounds in Barclays Private Bank and Trust Ltd; and if the funds had been transferred from one account to the other, why the bank statement of 2003 was not presented.
Bokhari argued that it was the job of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) — and not the ECP — to inquire about the income, assets and liabilities.
Chief Justice Nisar asked the counsel whether the 75,000 pounds did not constitute Khan's assets. Bokhari replied in negative.
"We reject the allegation that the money was remitted as a gift to evade tax," he said.
The ECP does not have the right to determine income, assets and expenditures, the counsel maintained. He regretted that Khan did not submit a clause-by-clause reply.
The hearing was adjourned until October 3 after Bokhari completed his arguments.
Comments (31) Closed
"He who comes into equity must come with clean hands."
Why IK wants to escape from equity if he has clean hands..
Why private transactions between husband and wife are being probed so minutely whilst the accused was never even in any government position? No couple in the world can provide 'records' of transactions between spouses. This sounds more like tit-for-tat inquisition just because another leader has done corruption.
IK turning out to be a lioar or a money launderer too ... on small and personal scale though ..... Should not have been very happy on NS disqualification on technical Iqama basis !!!! but pushed for disqualification for lies by NS on TV and NA speeches !!!! or Panama corruption !!!
Somehow it is better to get IK and NS out of Pakistani politics ....... At least there will be some normalcy and lack of animosity among the Pakistanis !!!
@Harmony-1© .... Bcz IK needs to be like a crystal clear as he has portrayed himself.....
@Harmony-1© .than why remove nawaz sharif on the basis of transaction from his son.its time for imran to come clear our be disqualified
We all need to be checked by Law from time to time.That is how the culture of the Rule of Law develops. Good job Supreme Court
@Asif A Shah , bang on.This is the only solution to majority of problems. Accountability across the board. Culture of accountability leads to responsible society and a responsible society leads to development. Although there is difference between charges against IK and NS. Head. But transparency is important.
Illegal transactions between husband and wife can be investigated by the court. If IK is clean he should not run away from presenting evidence. Given that he was never in government position does not make him a saint.
Honorable SC working hard to set high standards for the public representatives and those aspire to be the executive head of the country. Keep it up my lords.
The funds transferred and purchase of Bank Gala. If they were done before Imran got elected then they are irrelevant. Questions come into play if these transactions were after Imran became an MNA.
Main game is to discredit the politicians and grab the power. Old trick nothing new.
@Amjad Agreed - let us uphold the law without any fear or favour! Law is Blind, as said!
The NOOSE is tightening around Imran Khan's political neck.
@Harmony-1© why private transaction between Father and Son or Father and Daughter were investigated or questioned ?
Khan,s acts in politics in recent past hardly deserve prayers of people of Pakistan.His lieutenants holding high positions in KPK are all corrupt from top to bottom.However,their artifices and tactics can hardly be unearthed since they do all deals under the table and in this way amassing wealth. Position of streets,widespread dirt/garbage,week overflowing sanitation non-existence of mosquito sprays,ever increasing ratio of diseases in D I Khan all are ready example of their misdeeds and corruption.
@Saood good comment
IK attitude on this drama prove one thing, if you point your fingers to others. four fingers point toward you. So think before you do this. IK now proven to be a hollow person no different to others
SC is just! They are seeing Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, Altaf Hussain and Imran Khan with the same eye. Very good job.
What is the issue, the money source of IK is clear i.e. his earnings and his wife's confirms the private loan. Why has the transaction from UK to Pakistan become a issue or a dispute for this for the petitioner and highest court to waste time and money of the Pakistani people. ?????????????????
@Harmony-1© Brother to be corrupt you don’t need to be a government officer, It’s not a small amount that has been as loan from Jemima that it’s has been given directly as a cash in hand , this is a big amount and you can’t carry this big amount in suit case and board a a plane and same whole returning back to Jemima so obviously this has to be done through legal channel e.g bank so they must have transaction details of the bank to prove that money is legally transferred from country to the other
@Saood The difference is NS was an active politician whereas IK wasn't. Keep in mind, IK ex-wife is a wealthy person so 72K pounds have no value in front of her. Lastly, he brought the funds in Pakistan whereas NS and family took it out.
I think, primarily, this whole case is not about being in government or out of government; but rather, about investigating all our main Pakistani political leaders implicated in the so called 'Panama Papers' corruption allegations, world-wide. It's good to look into all their finances. Also, while the SC is looking at Imran Khan's Bani Gala property, it would also be useful to check how many kanals were actually bought and how many kanals is Imran occupying now? There seems to be some discrepancy and possibly some state land is being encroached.
@IAB he never held any public office
Other documents under production in printing press.
@Harmony-1©
He is an MNA and a party head. He has collected a lot of funds in the name of Shaukat Khanum too. Why NS had to answer for his father's wealth who was never in politics, Sir?
If these letters work in court, I would like to transfer money to Pakistan from Oman only based on an omani national's letter citing the money as 'gift'
So A letter from your business Partner wasnt even considered for once and was "FAKE"...But letter from Ex wife Jemima GoldSmith is Credible... Also some ignorants equating it with husband wife petty transaction should know Price for Bani gala palace is billions not millions. You can fool your followers as usual but not common public. So a sitting PM was disqualified for life just because he had an Iqama for travel document in his non office days but when its coming to IK ..its about a private deal with no trace
@Harmony-1© its not the transaction between husband and wife, if question of buying the property. Did IK paid taxes while show the money for buying.
It is an opportunity for IK to come clean. After all, what does he has to hide, right?
@Saood - I was talking about "transactions" between spouses; not the financial gains out of iqama visa whilst still being a PM!