LAHORE: Being a businessman, I will invest my money where I like, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday.

“My wife has a property in London. She had a property in Dubai in 2017 which she sold in 2023. I was not a public office-holder 10 years ago,” he said.

“Tax has been paid on these properties,” he said, clarifying his position with regard to Dubai Leaks in which an astounding volume of leaked property data that includes over 23,000 properties, has been listed as belonging to Pakistani nationals up to the spring of 2022.

According to the data gathered by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Mr Naqvi’s wife is listed as an owner of a high-value property in the leaks.

Interior minister says taxes paid on all properties in his wife’s name

“There is no illegality in investing abroad. Being businessman I will invest where I like,” he said, adding the FIA should investigate those who acquired offshore property illegally.

Mr Naqvi said he knew many media houses who had properties in Dubai, adding that there was no problem if investment was made abroad legally.

“No matter how much criticism is made against me I will focus on service delivery,” said the minister, who has been subjected to severe criticism on social media after revelation that his wife’s properties are abroad.

The minister said one of the reasons India was progressing because it supported its businessmen, while in Pakistan if a businessman progressed, he was labelled as thief.

In reply to a question, Mr Naqvi said KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s statement of taking over a state building might be a political one. However, if such a situation arose, it would be dealt with appropriately, he warned.

Replying to another question about PTI’s demand for holding talks with the establishment, he said if talks were held, they should be with the government.

Regarding a huge backlog of passports, the minister said he was aware of the problem as a passport was being issued in five to six months.

“I am making efforts to overcome this problem,” he added.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2024