Comparing declarations: Surge in PM’s assets due to rise in value

Information minister urged JI chief to not level allegations of amassing wealth.

ISLAMABAD:

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid on Saturday warned the government’s foes against making any “erroneous deduction” about the prime minister’s assets, arguing that the difference in the value of his present and previous declarations of assets made before the Election Commission of Pakistan was understandable and hardly amounted to personal aggrandisement.

“The government negates the impression that the assets of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have risen substantially,” Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said in a statement.

The minister hit out at Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Munawar Hassan for making the claim about the increase in the PM’s assets, saying it was an attempt to confuse the masses.

“It is natural that the value of already acquired assets, both movable and immovable, increases over a period of time and hence the inference made is nebulous,” he said.

“Munawar Hassan has been wrongly advised by his party colleagues which has led to misstatements. I hope that he will refrain from unsubstantiated statements which belittle his image in the country and within his party.”

According to a declaration of assets, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is the richest lawmaker, with combined assets worth Rs1.824 billion, while Jamshed Dasti is the poorest legislator in parliament.

After the announcement from the ECP regarding assets declaration of politicians, the JI leader claimed that the PM’s assets have increased visibly while the country’s condition is getting poorer, which is a cause for concern.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2013.