ISLAMABAD: The Anti Benami Initiative (ABI) Zone-I Islamabad has confiscated a luxury five-door vehicle from residential premises in the capital in a first of its kind operation.

An official announcement said the initial clue to this vehicle’s benami ownership was traced from Excise Office Islamabad Capital Territory. The suspected benami owner was not enrolled with FBR and upon enquiry he disowned the vehicle and disclosed that he was just a driver whose CNIC was used by the beneficial owner of the vehicle.

After completion of i investigation, a reference was filed with the adjudicating authority which decided the case in favor of ABI.

The vehicle was traced in a house in Islamabad which was subsequently searched, and on June 2 the vehicle was confiscated with the help of local law enforcement agencies under the Benami Transactions Prohibition Act 2017.

In accordance with the directions of the prime minister, momentum against benami assets accelerated in June 2019 with the inception of Anti Benami Zones across Pakistan.

The three newly created zones, while functioning under the supervision of a directorate general, have so far filed more than 90 references containing various categories of assets including shares, bank accounts, vehicles, land, and buildings, etc.

Among them are 33 vehicles which shall be confiscated as soon as these references attain finality under the law.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2021