Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday filed a reference with Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq seeking disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan. Eight PML-N leaders filed the reference with the speaker, saying that Imran Khan has failed to meet criteria set out in Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution; therefore, he should be disqualified. The reference was filed by Daniyal Aziz, Talal Chaudhry, Muhammad Zubair and others.
Issue of Imran Khan's off-shore company, his flats outside Pakistan, income, non-disclosure of investment to the Election Commission of Pakistan, misuse of amnesty scheme and Bani Gala Land were raised in the reference. According to a copy of the reference available with Business Recorder, the PML-N leaders accused Imran Khan of concealing his investment. "Imran Khan made investment of Rs 2.97 million on account of down payment to purchase a luxury apartment in M/s Grand Hayatt, on Constitution Avenue Islamabad. However, he concealed this investment in his declaration of assets for the year 2014, furnished by him to the ECP."
The reference also said, "The government announced tax amnesty scheme in the year 2000 for the taxpayers of Pakistan. Mr Khan, despite being a staunch opponent of tax amnesty schemes now a days, availed the said scheme to whiten black money of Rs 2 million to show legitimate source to purchase a flat situated at 165-Draycott Avenue, London."
"Reportedly, Mr Khan purchased the flat situated at 165-Draycott Avenue, London, in 1983. The flat remained undeclared until the tax amnesty was not announced by the government in the year 2000. The tax declarations of Mr Khan show he had negligible earnings in 1983. It establishes that he purchased the said flat with money on which he didn't discharge tax liability," the reference said.
It added, "Moreover, Mr Imran Khan declared a foreign remittance amounting to Rs 11.2 million in the year 2001-02. Analysis of the returns of income for the years 1983-2001 reveal that his total declared income during the period was approximately Rs 5.3 million. It is difficult to understand what were sources of the said foreign remittance declared by him prime facie, it was actually his foreign source income which he brought into Pakistan in the guise of foreign remittance."
About Bani Gala residence of Imran Khan, the PML-N leaders said in their reference, "Mr Khan gifted Rs 6.5 million to his ex-wife Ms Jemima Khan in the year 2001-02. She purchased 45 kanals land at Mohra Noor, Islamabad, with that gifted amount. Later on, she transferred that land to Mr Khan who declared it as a gift in his wealth statements filed with the Federal Board of Revenue. It establishes that the gift-back arrangement was made by Mr Khan to launder his black money. Besides aforementioned 45 kanals, Ms Jemima also purchased 255 kanals at Mohra Noor with the amount of Rs 36.98 million."
"Mr Imran Khan constructed a palatial house at Bani Gala and estimated construction cost of that house was around Rs 35 million, however, Mr Khan didn't declare sources of income to construct that house in Islamabad. Mr Khan had declared his total income during 1983-2004 at approximately Rs 11.67 million only," it said.
The PML-N leaders also accused Khan of agriculture tax evasion, saying that "besides minimal payment of income tax during last 35 years, Mr Imran Khan also didn't discharge his tax liability on agriculture income. Since 1997, he is earning agriculture income but he didn't pay tax under provincial agriculture tax law till 2012. Moreover, constant agriculture income during few years shows he has declared fake income on account of agriculture to justify investments made with black money."
The PML-N filed the reference against Imran Khan after the PTI leader Dr Yasmin Rashid had filed a reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan seeking Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's disqualification from the National Assembly for concealing his assets.
On July 25, PTI had also submitted a reference with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against the Prime Minister and lawmakers from his family for alleged corruption and corrupt practices, in light of the Panama Papers' revelations. Talking to media after submitting the reference to the Speaker, PML-N MNA Talal Chaudhry said that Imran Khan is leading a movement to dodge accountability. Another leader, Muhammad Zubair said that Imran Khan showed his income less than Rs 100,000 during 1981 to 1983. Daniyal Aziz said that they have filed the reference in accordance with the constitution.