UAE properties case: FBR inaction draws Supreme Court ire

Bench seeks report from FBR on Aleema Khan matter

ISLAMABAD: A three-judge Supreme Court bench was upset over the performance of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for not taking appropriate actions against individuals who unlawfully held assets abroad.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and including Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Faisal Arab ordered the FBR to submit a report outlining measures taken in the matter of Aleema Khan, the sister of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In an affidavit submitted to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), C revealed that she owned the property, called Lofts East 1406, in Dubai and that she paid for it from the funds generated from her business dealing overseas. “I have already disposed off my property and have also informed the FBR about the purchase and sale of said property”, she said in the affidavit.

The bench expressed anger at the FBR for not complying with its November 1 order, in which the court had referred the matter of 20 individuals to FBR for investigation. Last week, the FBR submitted its report, saying that those persons appeared before the department on November 6.

On that date, the report said, 11 individuals appeared personally or along with authorised representatives, four were represented by authorised representatives, whereas three did not attend the verification process but submitted their written replies.

It added that two individuals neither attended the verification process nor responded to the FIA. The report informs the court that contentions of four individuals were verified to the extent of their declared Dubai properties mentioned in FIA source document, whereas 14 individuals cases were recommended for further investigation and the process of audit had been initiated.



When the chief justice asked for the update in the matter, FBR officials could not satisfy the bench. “We had tasked a team to confirm assets owned by the individuals. It seems the FBR was unable to comprehend court orders. They have also wasted the work done by the FIA,” the chief justice said.

The bench issued a contempt notice to the FBR chairman and a member and sought their replies in three days. However, the notice was withdrawn on the request of the FBR member. The bench sought detailed report about the matter and adjourned the hearing until December 13.