LONDON: Hasan Nawaz Sharif, the son of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, was declared bankrupt by the High Court of Justice in London after he failed to clear tax liabilities he owed to the UK government, sources confirmed to Dawn.

The details of the bankruptcy, which emerged on Sunday, were officially published in the UK Gazette, the public record for insolvency cases.

According to the Gazette, Hasan Nawaz, who resides at Flat 17, Avenfield House, 118 Park Lane, and serves as a company director, was declared bankrupt under case number 694 of 2023.

The petition was filed on Aug 25, 2023, and the bankruptcy order was issued on April 29, 2024, after a case brought forward by Her Majesty’s Rev­e­nue and Customs (HMRC). The petition cited unpaid debts and liabilities as the basis for the action.

The case was reportedly handled by HMRC’s frequent petitioner contracts management team, represented in court by the legal firm Kaur Maxwell.

Under UK law, a bankruptcy order restricts an individual from acting as a company director or managing businesses without court approval until the individual is discharged from bankruptcy.

Despite this restriction, Hasan Nawaz is currently listed as a director in several UK-based companies.

Reports suggested that his bankruptcy stems from his failure to settle outstanding liabilities with UK’s tax authority.

The official record of the bankruptcy is available in the London Gazette, confirming the issuance of the order and its legal implications.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2024