Imran’s Bani Gala land purchased through ‘Benami transaction’
Islamabad administration tells court piece of property bought by Jemima Khan and gifted to PTI chief
PTI Chairman Imran Khan. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad administration informed an anti-terrorism court on Friday the land purchased by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Bani Gala in the name of his first wife, Jemima Khan, through a ‘Benami transaction’.
In a report, officials stated that when the land, measuring 300 kanals, was purchased, neither the no-objection certificate (NOC) from the interior ministry, nor the computerised national identity card of Jemima Khan was produced to the revenue officer concerned.
Jemima Khan also did not appear personally before the revenue officer, the report said, adding that Maj (retired) Pervaiz Malik appeared on her behalf in only one mutation, out of a total of five.
Banigala property: Gifts from wife not declarable: Imran
“Land of 300 Kanals was basically purchased by Imran Khan in the name of Jemima Khan through Benami transaction (mentioned in power of Attorney given by Jemima),” said the report prepared by the director admin of Islamabad’s chief commissioner’s office.
The report, pertaining to the property details of Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Dr Tahirul Qadri, was submitted before the court in the case of an attack on Senior Superintendent of Police Asmatullah Junejo.
Khan, Qadri and several others were booked over their alleged involvement in an attack on Junejo, who was brutally beaten up by protesters on Constitution Avenue in Islamabad on September 1, 2014 during the PTI and PAT sit-ins.
In the previous hearing of the case, Judge Shahrukh Arjumand had ordered the Islamabad’s chief commissioner and the inspector general of the capital police to furnish details of the properties belonging to the two high-profile ‘absconders in the case’ – Khan and Qadri.
According to the report, “Jemima Khan D/O Sir James Goldsmith purchased land measuring 300 Kanals 5 marlas vide mutation no. 7056 dated 24.06.2002, no. 7225 dated 16.8.2002, no, 7246 dated 28.8.2002, no 7361 and 7358 dated 11.6.2005 against the total consideration on Rs 4,35,36,500/- in the revenue state of Mauza Mohra Noor Tehsil and District Islamabad.”
Imran show of power in judiciary’s support today
It said the land was then gifted to Khan by a registered power of attorney given to Saifullah Sarwar Khan Niazi by Jemima Khan. The attorney-power document was attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It added that the attorney power document mentioned that “a land measuring 300 Kanals and 5 marlas in Khasra 1939 situated in the revenue state of village mohra nor Tehsil and District Islamabad was purchased by Mr. Imran Khan Niazi S/O Ikramullah Khan Niazi”.
In addition, Jemima Khan also stated that “the land was transferred in my name through mutation no. 7056, 7225, 7361 and 7538 by my ex-husband Mr. Imran Khan Niazi as a “Benami Transaction”, the report said.
“After separation/divorce between me and Mr Imran Khan Niazi, I do not intend to keep the land with me,” she was quoted by the report as stating. Thus, the report continued, the land was transferred as a gift to Khan by Jemima and sanctioned by the revenue officer Imtiaz Janjua on January 29, 2005.
In the same document, the officials have stated that later on the same land was transferred through ‘Hibba’ in the name of Khan. “Since the land was purchased by Imran Khan through Benami transaction in the name of Jemima Khan so the cost of land must have been paid by Imran Khan,” the report read.
Interestingly, the report said, the mode of payment is not mentioned in the revenue record. Since the record of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) is not computerised, the officials said, the report is based on manual verification.
In the revenue record, the report said, Qadri did not own any land in Islamabad’s rural areas -- the jurisdiction of the ICT’s revenue department. As far as the record of urban property is concerned, the report added, the Capital Development Authority was the custodian of that record.
Also on Friday, Junejo recorded his statement after which Special Public Prosecutor Muhammad Akram Gondal closed the prosecution evidence. Now lawyers for the parties to the case would present their arguments.
Both Khan and Qadri did not attend the hearing, despite repeatedly summoned by the court. The judge ordered the police to collect details of the properties of Khan and Qadri in the districts of Mianwali and Lahore “so that [properties] attachment order can be passed.”
The court fixed October 17 as the next date of hearing.
The Islamabad administration informed an anti-terrorism court on Friday the land purchased by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Bani Gala in the name of his first wife, Jemima Khan, through a ‘Benami transaction’.
In a report, officials stated that when the land, measuring 300 kanals, was purchased, neither the no-objection certificate (NOC) from the interior ministry, nor the computerised national identity card of Jemima Khan was produced to the revenue officer concerned.
Jemima Khan also did not appear personally before the revenue officer, the report said, adding that Maj (retired) Pervaiz Malik appeared on her behalf in only one mutation, out of a total of five.
Banigala property: Gifts from wife not declarable: Imran
“Land of 300 Kanals was basically purchased by Imran Khan in the name of Jemima Khan through Benami transaction (mentioned in power of Attorney given by Jemima),” said the report prepared by the director admin of Islamabad’s chief commissioner’s office.
The report, pertaining to the property details of Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Dr Tahirul Qadri, was submitted before the court in the case of an attack on Senior Superintendent of Police Asmatullah Junejo.
Khan, Qadri and several others were booked over their alleged involvement in an attack on Junejo, who was brutally beaten up by protesters on Constitution Avenue in Islamabad on September 1, 2014 during the PTI and PAT sit-ins.
In the previous hearing of the case, Judge Shahrukh Arjumand had ordered the Islamabad’s chief commissioner and the inspector general of the capital police to furnish details of the properties belonging to the two high-profile ‘absconders in the case’ – Khan and Qadri.
According to the report, “Jemima Khan D/O Sir James Goldsmith purchased land measuring 300 Kanals 5 marlas vide mutation no. 7056 dated 24.06.2002, no. 7225 dated 16.8.2002, no, 7246 dated 28.8.2002, no 7361 and 7358 dated 11.6.2005 against the total consideration on Rs 4,35,36,500/- in the revenue state of Mauza Mohra Noor Tehsil and District Islamabad.”
Imran show of power in judiciary’s support today
It said the land was then gifted to Khan by a registered power of attorney given to Saifullah Sarwar Khan Niazi by Jemima Khan. The attorney-power document was attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It added that the attorney power document mentioned that “a land measuring 300 Kanals and 5 marlas in Khasra 1939 situated in the revenue state of village mohra nor Tehsil and District Islamabad was purchased by Mr. Imran Khan Niazi S/O Ikramullah Khan Niazi”.
In addition, Jemima Khan also stated that “the land was transferred in my name through mutation no. 7056, 7225, 7361 and 7538 by my ex-husband Mr. Imran Khan Niazi as a “Benami Transaction”, the report said.
“After separation/divorce between me and Mr Imran Khan Niazi, I do not intend to keep the land with me,” she was quoted by the report as stating. Thus, the report continued, the land was transferred as a gift to Khan by Jemima and sanctioned by the revenue officer Imtiaz Janjua on January 29, 2005.
In the same document, the officials have stated that later on the same land was transferred through ‘Hibba’ in the name of Khan. “Since the land was purchased by Imran Khan through Benami transaction in the name of Jemima Khan so the cost of land must have been paid by Imran Khan,” the report read.
Interestingly, the report said, the mode of payment is not mentioned in the revenue record. Since the record of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) is not computerised, the officials said, the report is based on manual verification.
In the revenue record, the report said, Qadri did not own any land in Islamabad’s rural areas -- the jurisdiction of the ICT’s revenue department. As far as the record of urban property is concerned, the report added, the Capital Development Authority was the custodian of that record.
Also on Friday, Junejo recorded his statement after which Special Public Prosecutor Muhammad Akram Gondal closed the prosecution evidence. Now lawyers for the parties to the case would present their arguments.
Both Khan and Qadri did not attend the hearing, despite repeatedly summoned by the court. The judge ordered the police to collect details of the properties of Khan and Qadri in the districts of Mianwali and Lahore “so that [properties] attachment order can be passed.”
The court fixed October 17 as the next date of hearing.