Imran challenges Nawaz to play '11 questions' on TV

PML-N chief should not send his 'minions' -should declare his assets himself, says PTI Chairman.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, responding to Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s (PML-N) accusations against him, posed 11 questions for party chief Nawaz Sharif and challenged him to answer them live on TV.

“Nawaz Sharif, instead of sending your 'minions' who are not politicians… come in front of the public and answer my questions like I am answering now,” said Khan as he began declaring his assets.

Responding to Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan's allegations that he has not paid any taxes, Khan presented his tax returns of 1981-82 and said that he paid taxes worth Rs36,000. "Yousuf Islam is my tax dealer, and all information about my taxes is available with him. Anyone can contact him for details."

He further clarified that he had bought land worth Rs40 million after selling his London flat in 2003 for around Rs70 million. “All my assets have been declared and they will also go up on my website. All of my properties are on my name, they are not on anyone else’s name.”

Khan added that he earned the remaining money during the World Cup in India. “In every World Cup, they invite me to do commentary and match analysis and they pay me for it. I am presenting to you the contract of the game plan. The registered company will tell you how much I earned through it.”

After declaring his assets, Khan posed 11 questions to Sharif about his assets and his properties. The questions were:

1. Raymond Baker, an international renowned author, wrote in his book that Nawaz Sharif did corruption worth $417 million. The book says that Nawaz Sharif took a commission of $160 million from Daewoo for the motorway which was recently made. If Baker had made a false allegation, then why did you not initiate a case against him?

2. You bought four apartments in Mayfair worth more than Rs1 billion. Now their value has gone up to Rs4.5 billion. Where did you get the money from?

3. In 1994, you stated your income as Rs150,000 and you gave a tax of Rs14,000. If this is your income, then how did you buy a property in Mayfair?

4. You took a loan from Al Taufiq Bank worth $30 million and then you defaulted it. They took you to court and attached your property. From where did you get the money to pay back those $30 million?

5. Ishaq Dar gave an affidavit saying that Nawaz Sharif did money laundering by opening a fictitious account by the name of Qazi family in London. The BBC did a film on that too.

6. You took a loan worth Rs6 billion from Pakistani banks and you had them defaulted. Did you return back the loan?

7. You have a 1,700 acre land in Raiwind. Where did you get the money from to buy that land?

8. Where did the people’s tax money go? How much of the tax money was put into Raiwind?

9. Your whole family has properties in London. You want to do government in Pakistan but your children’s properties are lying abroad. You should own it like I owned it right now.

10. You planted a steel mill in Jeddah of $150 million. Your tax return does not show that you have enough income to plant a mill.

11. You froze your foreign accounts in 1998, but tell us, how much money did you transfer abroad the night before?

Khan further clarified the accusations against Shaukat Khanum Hospital and said that whatever investment was done did not face any loss. “Bluechip company guaranteed us that they will bear the loss and we will get the profit. Our party’s senior leader will read out the email to you.”

He added that all his assets as well as of his senior party leaders will be made public on his website within a few days. He also promised to expose Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Correction: In an earlier version of the story, Rs70 million and Rs40 million were incorrectly written as £70 million and £40 million. The error is regretted.