Lawmakers’ liabilities: Legislators still reluctant to disclose their debts

Sindh chief minister hasn’t even declared his liabilities.

ISLAMABAD:

One-thirds of the MPAs hailing from Punjab and Sindh have financial liabilities amounting to Rs3.8 billion in contrast to 93 MNAs whose collective liabilities are worth Rs4 billion, irrespective of party affiliations, according to annual statements of assets and liabilities submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

While two MNAs from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have incurred debts of more than Rs2 billion, 53 MNAs from Punjab have total liabilities of just Rs687.98 million.

According to details, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and his wife Nusrat Shahbaz, who have assets worth Rs489 million, have net liabilities of Rs164 million. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani’s son Abdul Qadir Gilani has liabilities of merely 0.4 million while his uncle Syed Mujtaba Gilani opted not to disclose his. Two PML-N MPAs topped the list of debtors from Punjab with a share of over Rs560 million followed by MPAs from Sindh whose liabilities amount to Rs320 million.

Asif Manzoor has outstanding debts amounting to Rs300 million and Fida Hussain’s liabilities are to the tune of Rs260 million despite the fact they both have hundred of millions of cash in hand. Former chief minister Punjab Pervaiz Elahi has assets worth Rs280 million but neither he nor his son Moonis Elahi declared their liabilities. Interestingly, two MPAs from Punjab, Sheikh Allauddin and Dr Ashraf Chohan who are the richest legislators with assets worth Rs2 billion have not mentioned any liabilities.

Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who is 40 times poorer than his counterpart in Punjab, did not declare his liabilities. MPAs from Sindh have outstanding liabilities of Rs320 million while Syed Murad Ali Shah topped the list with liabilities worth Rs106 million. Former home minister Sindh Zulfiqar Mirza, Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza, PPP leaders Sassui Palijo and Pir Mazhrul Haq have no liabilities to show in their assets declaration. PPP leader Sharjeel Memon owes Rs44 million in connection with a mortgage on a piece of land and a hire purchase agreement. Speaker Nisar Khoro has secured liabilities of Rs20 million in his wife’s name and a house in DHA Karachi and MPA Arbab Ghulam Rahim has borrowed Rs10 million from close relatives.

Coming back to MPAs from Punjab, Raja Riaz has liabilities of Rs1.4 million while Allah Rakha has stated his to be Rs242 million. Rana Ijaz has liabilities amounting to Rs230 million and Mian Muhammad Ali owes Rs230 million in debts.

Former Punjab governor Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa and Dost Muhammad Khosa’s assets are worth Rs50 million but they have not disclosed their liabilities. Speaker Rana Iqbal Khan, Law Minister Punjab Rana Sanaullah and PPP leader Tanvir Ashraf Kaira are also quite rich but they have not declared their liabilities.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2011.