- Ex-PM’s son says no legal basis for govt to seize his London’s properties
Hassan Nawaz, a London-based businessman and son of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has said that the Panama Papers investigation and disqualification of his father were a plot designed to damage the political reputation of his father.
In an interview with The Times newspaper, he said that he has built properties through a successful business in London and each and every penny that he has or has invested was legitimate and he fears nothing. He was speaking in reference to the investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Hassan, who works as a commodity and share trader, said that he was the victim of a conspiracy to smear his father on political grounds. He said that the homes in London were part of a property development business he began after he left the university. “They have been saying that I have a huge empire of properties from ‘corruption’ and money laundering,” he said.
“I did buy and develop and then sell properties through a very successful business. At any one time I did not have more than one or two properties, which were leveraged by UK banks. I have not received a penny from my father and I have not sent a penny to him in my life,” he said.
He said that all his businesses had been registered in the UK, he was the sole director and owner of the companies and he had paid all the taxes required. “The whole story is designed to damage the political reputation of my father,” he said.
In its report, the British paper reported that houses and flats in London could be seized by the Pakistani government after claims that they were bought with the proceeds of ‘corruption’ but the lawyers have said that it will be almost an impossible task to actually seize these properties.
The lawyers said that there has never been any concern in the UK and records show that Nawaz Sharif’s sons have broken no law.