PTI to resist Sharifs’ ‘backroom’ talks at every level, says Imran

Unveils documents claiming Dar’s sons own 11 offshore companies in Dubai

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has said his party will confront at every level Sharif family’s ‘ongoing backroom negotiations’ with power players to get yet another National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO)-type deal.

“Sharifs know very well that once proceedings and investigations into their money laundering start, all their business ventures across the world will be exposed. They want to stop this process at any cost,” Khan said on Friday while addressing a news conference in Islamabad.



He was responding to a question about Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s current visit to Saudi Arabia and rumours of backchannel talks of Sharifs with power players to get some relaxations.

“Shehbaz is in Saudi Arabia and making efforts to woo support of royals,” Khan claimed, adding, “There is no doubt that it is nothing but another NRO” meant to lessen difficulties of the Sharif family over their accountability.

“Let alone Saudi Arabia, this time around even a guarantee by US President Donald Trump will not save Sharifs. However, if any such effort is made I along with my party will be on the roads to make it clear that such a scheme will not work anymore in Pakistan,” he added.

He criticised deposed PM Nawaz Sharif and said his definitions of ‘ideology’ and ‘democracy’ revolved around saving his family’s corruption.



“Sharif, his daughter and other cabinet members have constantly been maligning the Supreme Court and its judges as “it’s for the first time that a verdict has not been announced on their dictation”.

“I will humbly request the judiciary either to repeal the contempt of court law or take action against those bashing the court and its judges,” he added.

New revelations about Dar’s sons

Khan also distributed among the journalists some ‘recently uncovered’ documents exposing as many as 11 offshore companies allegedly owned by the sons of former finance minister Ishaq Dar and details of multi-million dollars assets held by these firms.

The documents also show that Sharif’s son Hussain Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar are also employee of an offshore entity, HDS Estates Limited, which owns 52 villas in Dubai.

According to Khan, Dar’s family owns some 11 offshore companies and business ventures in Dubai. Nine of these companies, established between 2005 and 2009, are registered with the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority, Dubai, while the remaining two are in the DMCC Free Trade Zone Dubai.

Of the 11 companies, the main offshore firm is HDS Estates Limited which, according to the documents, owns 52 villas. Dar’s sons Mujtaba Hasnain Dar and Ali Mustafa Dar are sole partners of this company that has a total of 58 employees, including Hussain Nawaz and Muhammad Safdar.



Muhammad Safdar, which the PTI chairman claimed is actually Capt (retd) Safdar, is ‘general cleaner’ in this firm. Khan said these offshore firms had received funds from companies in Switzerland, Oman, the UK, Turkey, etc. “It shows Sharifs and Dar also own companies and businesses in other countries,” he said.

Khan said it is just the tip of the iceberg, adding that Dar was actually a frontman for Sharif and managed his affairs in Pakistan and Dubai. “This is the reason Sharif got Dar transported abroad, fearing he could expose all businesses details to investigators,” he claimed.

He said the PTI had been waiting details of the SC judgment in Hudabiya Paper Mills case. “It’s a criminal case that could be opened once new evidence comes forward,” he added.