Disqualification trial: CJP says Imran providing evidence ‘piecemeal’

Says there is an impression money from Pakistan is laundered, hid in offshore companies

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Main Saqib Nisar has observed that PTI chief Imran Khan has been presenting documentary evidence, piece by piece, to establish money trail for his London flat and Bani Gala land.

“During the last hearing, you said I seemed angry. No, I am not angry but I want to say one thing that the documents are being provided piecemeal,” Justice Nisar told PTI counsel Naeem Bukhari.

The CJP made these remarks while heading a three-judge bench hearing a petition filed by PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi, who seeks disqualification of the PTI chief, as well as the party’s secretary general, Jahangir Tareen.



The petitioner alleges that the PTI leaders did not disclose their assets, hid ownership of offshore companies and received foreign funding for the party.

Justice Nisar also agreed with the petitioner’s counsel Akram Sheikh that all documentary evidences should be provided together.

“The court wants to satisfy itself that whatever is said by the respondent [Imran] to prove the money trail is true and everything was done in a transparent manner and no money was laundered by him,” said the honourable judge.

The chief justice also clarified that although the question relating to money laundering had not been raised by the petitioner, the court was looking for its answer for its own satisfaction.

The bench also observed that it was also a general impression that money from Pakistan was being laundered outside and hid in offshore companies.



The CJP said it was best for them to decide the cases related to Panamagate without delay so that other cases could also be taken up.

Meanwhile, the top court’s three-judge bench, headed by the CJP, once again asked the PTI chief to declare financial source of the apartment he bought in London in 1983. The bench also questioned the mode of paying 117,000 pounds for the purchase of the flat.

The bench noted that Imran had been paying income tax since 1981 and made the final payment of the flat in 1989, but he did not mention the flat in his tax record.

The PTI counsel, however, said relevant documents would be submitted to the court before the next date of hearing.



“If availing the Amnesty Scheme is dishonesty then everyone who got benefit of it should be treated equally,” Bukhari said. “If availing the scheme is dishonesty then I have no case.”

Akram Sheikh, counsel for the petitioner, said Imran was involved in fraud by establishing an offshore company.

The bench asked Imran to submit all documentary evidences to establish money trail for the purchase of his London flat by July 25.