LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan on Tuesday paid 25 per cent of the fine on her foreign properties to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
It was reported that Aleema paid Rs7.3 million to the FBR and submitted an application to pay the rest of the amount in four installments.
Aleema has also asked for the right to appeal in her application and will approach the Supreme Court after FBR’s reply in this regard.
On Monday, Aleema claimed that she earned her wealth through ‘sewing machine business’, which she maintained was a very profitable business generating massive revenue for the country.
“I am working for the last 20 years and everything is on record … check my wealth statement, I have declared all my properties, including the one in the US,” she had said.
The premier’s sister lamented that her source of income was being mocked. However, in reality many women in Pakistan were earning their living through sewing machines, she added.
Earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar ordered Aleema Khan to deposit Rs29.5 million in taxes and fine for not declaring her assets in Dubai.
CJP Nisar took suo motu notice of Aleema’s property in Dubai on November 28. Following this, Aleema deposited half of the total cost of her previously undeclared Dubai property with tax authorities as a penalty.
On October 27, FIA had submitted in the Supreme Court (SC) the details of 44 close relatives of prominent political personalities who owned properties in the UAE.
Following this, the court was informed that further investigations have been recommended by the FBR against 14 out of 20 people.
Earlier, the FBR had informed the SC that Aleema Khan did not benefit from a tax amnesty scheme on a flat in Dubai.
MONEY SIPHONED OFF:
The list of politically exposed people was part of an annexure submitted to a three-judge SC bench comprising Justices Nisar, Faisal Arab and Ijazul Ahsan.
Taking suo motu notice of the matter, the apex court had observed that it appeared the money siphoned off abroad without payment of taxes through illegal channels represented either ill-gotten gains or kickbacks from public contracts.
“Such money creates gross disproportion, inequality and disparity in society, which warps economic activity and growth, and constitutes plunder and theft of national wealth,” it had said.
In an earlier order, the court had also observed that it was common knowledge for years that a large number of Pakistani citizens were maintaining their bank accounts in other countries without disclosing these to the authorities competent under the laws of Pakistan or paying taxes on the same in accordance with the law.
