Pak SC asks PM's sister to pay Rs 29 bn in foreign assets case

Wednesday 19th December 2018 02:13 EST
 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Supreme Court has ordered Prime Minister Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khanum to pay a hefty Rs 29.4 billion in taxes and fine within a week in a foreign assets case. A three-judge bench, while hearing a case against 44 politically exposed individuals who possess properties in the UAE, remarked that failure on Khanum's part to honour the court orders will result in confiscation of her properties.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) told the court that a fine and tax worth Rs 29.4 billion has been imposed on Khanum, who has been identified as ostensible owner of a property. Khanum, who was present with her lawyer in the court, said that she had bought the property in 2008 against $370,000 and that she had sold it in 2017. “I sold my properties and the FBR was notified about this development in advance,” Khanum said in her written testimony.

In previous hearings FBR Khanum's submitted properties and tax details. She told the court that she had raised 50 per cent of the amount required by taking a loan. During the hearing, the FIA submitted a summary regarding foreign properties in court. According to the summary, 96 more Pakistanis have been identified for having properties abroad.

Meanwhile, FIA Director General Bashir Memon submitted a report, telling the bench that the agency has identified a total of 1,208 Pakistanis, holding 2,154 properties in the UAE. Previously 1,115 Pakistani property holders in UAE were identified. Of these 1,115 Pakistanis, 420 availed the Amnesty Scheme 2018 and 23 were accused by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), 166 appeared for FIA inquiry, 78 declared assets in the tax returns, 93 disowned any UAE property and 768 submitted affidavits.


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