Four aides to PM hold dual nationalities
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ISLAMABAD: The cabinet division on Saturday issued the details of assets and dual nationalities of 20 advisers and special assistants to the prime minister.
The cabinet division’s notification placed on its website shows that out of 19 non-elected cabinet members, four special assistants to the prime minister (SAPMs) hold dual nationalities, including SAPM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar (US), SAPM on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari (United Kingdom), SAPM on Power Division Shahzad Qasim (US) and and SAPM on Digital Pakistan Tania S. Aidrus (Canada).
Among those holding residency of other countries are SAPM on Political Affairs Shahbaz Gill (US), SAPM on National Security Moeed Yousuf (US), SAPM on Parliamentary Coordination Nadeem Afzal Gondal (Canada) and Aidrus (Singapore).
Nadeem Babar owns properties both in Pakistan and the US worth over Rs160 million. His business capitals amount to over Rs2.15 billion.
Zulfi Bukhari owns properties both in Pakistan and the UK. He also owns a Toyota Land Cruiser in Pakistan and four vehicles in the UK — Bentley (2017), Range Rover and two Mercedes.
Moeed Yousuf owns properties worth nearly Rs26m in Pakistan.
Tania Aidrus owns properties in the US, Britain and Singapore.
Worth of Shahbaz Gill’s properties is over Rs110m.
SAPM on Poverty Alleviation Sania Nistar owns a joint property of 9.4 marlas in Saddar, Peshawar, and a Honda Civic (2014) car in her spouse’s name.
SAPM on Establishment Shahzad Arbab owns a house, plots and shops worth over Rs100m and fixed deposit amounting to Rs20m in his wife’s name.
SAPM on Information and Broadcast retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa owns eight properties, including a house, plots, commercial plots and agricultural land (65 acres), worth nearly Rs150 million.
SAPM on Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza owns a house and property in Chattar, Islamabad, amounting to Rs20m and two plots in DHA Rawalpindi and Taxila worth Rs15m each.
SAPM on Accountability Shahzad Akbar owns assets worth Rs50m.
Adviser to the PM on Finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh owns properties and assets worth around Rs300m. Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood owns assets worth over Rs2bn. Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam owns properties and assets worth over Rs140m. Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan owns assets worth Rs110m and Rs567m cash in hand.
Correction: The newspaper story has been amended to reflect that four aides of the PM — not seven as erroneously mentioned earlier — hold dual nationalities. The other three have residency in foreign countries. The worth of properties of Nadeem Babar, Moeed Yousuf and Asim Saleem Bajwa stated in the story has also been revised to reflect the correct figures. The errors are regretted.
Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2020
