–Latif Khosa claims former president now owns no property in USA
KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday decided to move the court against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s “fake claim” pertaining to former president Asif Ali Zardari’s alleged ownership of an apartment in New York.
On Thursday, PTI had moved a reference in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking disqualification of the PPP co-chairman for not declaring an apartment that he owns in the United States in his nomination papers for 2018 general elections.
Talking to media, PPP leader Latif Khosa said that it is agenda of the government to arrest all leaders of the opposition and send them to jail. He added that Zardari’s property in the USA was sold 20 years ago and he now owns no property there.
Slamming the PTI government, he said that the government has deprived the citizens of their jobs instead of providing a respectable source of income.
He asserted that the government had promised to provide 5 million houses to the homeless people but they are demolishing instead of building houses for the needy.
The reference against Zardari was filed by PTI MPA Khurram Sher Zaman, requesting the election watchdog to disqualify the former head of state as a member of the National Assembly for concealing an apartment he allegedly owns in Belaire Condominiums located at 524 East 72nd Street, New York, New York, USA, in his nomination form for the 2018 general elections.
A document submitted with the application showed Zardari as having an address at 524 East 72nd Street, New York, New York. A second document purported to show that one Ms Mehreen Shah was granted the power of attorney for the condo unit by Zardari. The veracity of the documents could not be independently confirmed.
“This serious violation of the law needs to be examined by you since Mr Zardari is a former president of Pakistan and co-chairs one of the major political parties of this country,” the application read.
The PTI lawmaker had urged the ECP to investigate the matter, “and if proven true and accurate”, disqualify and de-seat Zardari as an MNA under Article 62 (1)(f).
