–NA Opp leader bought flats between 2005 and 2007 by paying 20% in cash and remaining 80% through loans, mortgages
LAHORE: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Tuesday submitted details of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif’s foreign assets to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
According to reports, the opposition leader in the National Assembly owns four flats in London.
Shehbaz’s properties include an apartment on Barclay Street, another apartment on Harrowby Street, another on London Stuns Road and the fourth apartment at West Tower Peninsula Marshall.
According to reports, Shehbaz bought the flats between 2005 and 2007. Some 80 per cent of the payment for the three London flats was made through bank loans and mortgage payments while the remaining 20 per cent amount was paid in cash, according to FBR.
The PML-N president is current;y under the custody of the anti-corruption watchdog which has been investigating him in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing scam and other corruption cases.
The controversial housing project, launched in 2010, has been the subject of much controversy for the PML-N.
However, completion hiccups and unexplained delays in balloting and allotment of completed units gave rise to accusations of irregularity, which culminated in 2018 with several high profile arrests.
Besides the Ashiana Housing Scam, Shehbaz is also being probed in connection with the 56 companies’ case, Punjab Saaf Pani Company case and a case concerning the construction of Raiwind Road.
Also on Tuesday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday decided that bail petition of Shehbaz would be heard on a daily basis.
A two-judge bench was hearing the bail petition filed by the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly (NA).
During the course of the hearing, Shehbaz’s counsel apprised the court that his client has been nominated in the Paragon Housing City scam case despite the fact that he has no direct or indirect role in the matter.
“There are no statements against Shehbaz in the reference, yet he has been on physical remand for 50 days. Even terrorists are not even sent on remand for this long. And on the other hand, NAB is not even submitting a reply,” the counsel added.
Justice Malik Shehzad expressed his annoyance at NAB’s counsel for the unprofessional attitude, in response to which the latter sought more time to submit a reply and requested the bench to adjourn the hearing for a week.
“You have filed a reference and now your comments are not needed,” the judge replied as he rejected the request made by NAB’s counsel while adding that Shehbaz’s bail plea would be heard on a daily basis.
“Seven months have passed and we will not allow further delay,” he added.
He then acknowledged Shehbaz’s counsel. “The accusation is that the contract was cancelled to benefit Paragon company,” he said.
“This is only an allegation and not true. Nothing illegal was done,” Shehbaz’s counsel replied while adding that the case’s inquiry began on January 10 and the PML-N leader was summoned on January 22. The investigative report released on May 7 did not mention that Shehbaz was involved,” the counsel added.
The judge then inquired about Shehbaz’s relationship with the Paragon company to which the concerned’s counsel responded by denying the existence of any such relationship.
“My client has nothing to do with Paragon and NAB has levelled several allegations against him,” he stated.
The hearing was adjourned till February 6, whereas Justice Malik Shehzad ordered NAB special prosecutor Akram Qureshi to submit a reply.