‘ARU received complaints of graft, assets beyond means against 233 officials’

The federal government has informed the Supreme Court that the Assets Recovery Unit (ARU) received complaints of corruption and assets beyond means against 233 public office holders.

"As of 9th June 2020, the total complaints received against public office holders are 233 and 70 against private persons, out of which 22 have been referred to the appropriate departments," says the second part of 108-page written arguments submitted by the federal government's attorney Dr Farogh Naseem on Monday.

The arguments state that Mirza Shahzad Akbar, being the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability, received numerous complaints of corruption and assets beyond means against public office holders in Pakistan and abroad.

“The overseas assets are traced through ARU members and the legal expert using information and sources which are in public domain."

Moreover, the federal government has challenged two clauses of the Income Tax Ordinance, which guarantee confidentiality of tax record of any individual.

"Section 198 and 216 of the 2001 Ordinance ex facie violate the fundamental right of information guaranteed under Article 19-A of the Constitution and the fundamental right of due process guaranteed under Article 10-A of the Constitution" says the 108-page written arguments.