LAHORE: The details of assets owned by major political leaders from the three mainstream parties were made public in various media reports on Wednesday.
Reports claimed that the assets declared by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz were worth Rs 845 million.
Quoting her affidavit submitted with the nomination papers, the reports maintained that Maryam was, whose papers have been approved for NA-125, NA-127, and PP-173, is a shareholder in Chaudhry Sugar Mills Limited, Hamza Spinning Mills Limited, Muhammad Buksh Textile Mills Limited, Hudabiya Papers Mills Limited and Hudabiya Engineering Co Private Limited.
The reports held that Maryam had spent about Rs6.4million on foreign trips in the last three years, adding that she was the owner of 187 acres of agricultural land. Her agricultural estate increased by 548 kanals in the last three years, according to these reports. Further, Maryam is reported to have invested Rs 3.4 million in her family’s flour mills and given a loan worth Rs 7 million to Soft Energy Private Limited.
She has listed Rs 40 million received as gifts. Among her assets is jewellery worth Rs1.7 million.
In her liabilities, Maryam has listed a Rs 20 billion loan received from her brother Hasan Nawaz.
Trailing the PML-N leader by just over Rs 100 million is Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
Media reports quoted Zardari’s affidavit and said that his assets were worth around Rs758.66 million.
The ex-president owns over a dozen properties in Pakistan, besides his share in five properties inherited from his Shahid Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Among his properties inside the country are two houses in Clifton valued at Rs111.51m, a 2,000 square-yard plot in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority purchased for Rs 850,000, and a house in Nawabshah worth Rs 22.56 million. Contrary to popular opinion, Zardari is not the owner of multiple properties in foreign countries. The only foreign property claimed by the PPP co-chairman is an open plot in the Al-Safa Second area of Dubai, purchased at an unspecified time for an amount equivalent to around Rs 100 million.
Zardari has listed his agricultural properties in Nawabshah, Larkana and Tando Allahyar areas, apart from around 7,400 acres of farmland obtained on lease in Tando Allahyar, Matli, Badin and Nawabshah.
He has also listed among his assets three Toyota Land Cruisers, two BMWs and one Toyota Lexus – all bulletproof. The cost of the unspecified number of horses and cattle belonging to him has been estimated at Rs 9.9m and that of arms and ammunition at Rs 16.60m.
Zardari holds Rs 209 million cash in hand, and Rs 89.76m deposited in a private bank account.
The net worth of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan was reported to be around Rs 3.8 million
The cricketer-turned-politician is the owner of 168 acres of agricultural land. The reports mentioned that Khan owned no businesses in Pakistan or abroad, adding that 14 properties were registered in his name across Pakistan.
The PTI chairman earned Rs 4,776,611 in the last year from agriculture, bank profits, and personal engagements. He paid Rs 303,763 in taxes on this income. Khan also submitted details of his foreign trips to the United Kingdom. The three-day trip’s cost has been stated to be Rs 240,000.
Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi and his two sons with Jemima Khan – Qasim and Sulaiman – have been listed as his dependents. Bushra Bibi’s assets have reportedly not been included in the affidavit, and Imran’s sons have been shown as ‘not financially dependent’.
Published in Daily Times, June 21st 2018.
