Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Vawda filed a petition at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking a stay against the proceedings of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in his disqualification case, reports Geo Urdu.
Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah dismissed the case and rejected Vawda’s petition.
Vawda had adopted the stance that the case against him in the ECP had become invalid as the body could not make a decision within the time limit. The ECP was bound to decide the complaints within 60 days after he was elected. He requested the court to turn down the ECP decision dated October 12 and declare the case against him null and void.
Justice Athar Minallah questioned, “Why are you afraid of being investigated by the ECP? Your application is inadmissble, it is rejected.”
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, while speaking on Geo News‘ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, said: “Things will be out of my hands”, adding that Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) should stick to the promises it had made with the government.
ابھی تک بات نہیں بنی مگر جمعہ ، ہفتے کو پھر سعد رضوی صاحب سے ملوں گا۔ وہ اپنی بات پر قائم ہیں اور ہم نے ان سے درخواست کی ہے کہ صورتحال خراب ہوجائے گی۔ آپ راستے کھولیں ہم اپنا وعدہ پورا کریں گے۔ وزیر داخلہ شیخ رشید احمد
“Your loss is the government’s loss. But we will not allow Pakistan’s loss at any cost,” the minister said, adding that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will not allow Pakistan to be held hostage by anyone.
“Pakistan is an atomic power, therefore, internal powers are trying to weaken the country,” Rasheed maintained. “Pakistan is the defensive line of Islam.”
The prime minister had shown as much flexibility as was possible on the matter, the minister said. He added that the government couldn’t be forced to do something.
لوگوں کے منہ سے نکل جاتا ہے۔ میرے منہ سے بھی غلطی ہوجاتی ہے۔ میں اس کی بھی معافی مانگتا ہوں۔ شیخ رشید کا فواد چوہدری کی جانب سے تحریک لبیک کو عسکریت پسند تنظیم قرار دینے پر ردعمل
“The government is being mocked across the world [for not establishing its writ],” he said, adding that “matters should not reach a point of no-return”.
ماضی میں جو تحریک انصاف نےکیااور جسطرح میڈیا نے تحریک لبیک کوکوریج دی، اب نہ اپوزیشن آپکے ساتھ ویسا کررہی ہے نہ میڈیا۔ پھربھی حکومت ایک دن کہتی ہے کہ مطالبات مان لیے اگلے دن بھارتی ایجنڈے کا الزام لگا کر عسکریت پسندکہتی ہے اورپھر مذاکرات کیلیے تیار کیوں؟
میں نے فیصل واوڈا سے کہا ہے کہ آپ نے غلط کیا ہے۔ اپنی حد تک بتادوں کہ میں نے تحریک لبیک کے ساتھ جس معاہدے پر دستخط کیے وہ وزیر اعظم کی ہدایت کے مطابق کیے۔ وزیر داخلہ شیخ رشید احمد
“We are ready to go through with our agreement with the TLP,” the minister said, warning the TLP of consequences if it didn’t follow through with its commitments. “I don’t want matters to worsen, and if that happens, those out on the road would be harmed.”
ماضی میں جو تحریک انصاف نےکیااور جسطرح میڈیا نے تحریک لبیک کوکوریج دی، اب نہ اپوزیشن آپکے ساتھ ویسا کررہی ہے نہ میڈیا۔ پھربھی حکومت ایک دن کہتی ہے کہ مطالبات مان لیے اگلے دن بھارتی ایجنڈے کا الزام لگا کر عسکریت پسندکہتی ہے اورپھر مذاکرات کیلیے تیار کیوں؟
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda, while speaking on Samaa News programme, ‘Nadeem Malik Live’, revealed that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was not aware of the government’s agreement with Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which was signed in November 2020.
Faisal Vawda’s comments come in reference to the TLP announcement in November 2020 that the government accepted all its four demands and released a copy of the handwritten agreement carrying signatures of Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Qadri, then-Interior Minister Ijaz Shah, and Islamabad deputy commissioner.
Faisal, while speaking to anchorperson Nadeem Malik, said, “PM was not informed. PM’s consent was not in this agreement. I am referring to the first agreement, I don’t know the details of the second one.”
تحریک لبیک کے ساتھ نومبر 2020 میں ہونے والے حکومتی معاہدے کا وزیراعظم کو علم نہیں تھا : سینٹر فیصل واوڈا کا تحلکہ خیز انکشاف ۔۔
Malik questioned Vawda, “Why wasn’t he [PM] aware?”
“If I have been sent for negotiations, I will do as I see fit as per the situation and inform PM later of what happened,” added Vawda.
“This can only happen if the PM has empowered you, otherwise you can’t,” interjected Malik.
“No, why did I go to negotiate then? If I am bogus, I cannot do anything, why did I go?” responded Vawda.
Later, Faisal Vawda took to Twitter and said, “The ministers who went for the negotiations with the TLP should take the responsibility themselves, rather than putting it on the prime minister.”
However, the PTI leader deleted the tweet after some time.
More than 700 Pakistanis are in the data revealed in Pandora Papers and a majority of them are tax residents in Pakistan, reports Umar Cheema for The News.
Key members of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet, retired civilian and military officials and their families as well as owners of some of the country’s top media outlets, secretly own or have owned an array of companies and trusts holding millions of dollars in offshore jurisdictions, Fakhar Durrani reports for The News.
Politicians in Pandora Papers
The revelations made in the Pandora Papers, which contain the names of some prominent and key figures in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet, will be a test case for PM Khan to make his close associates answerable for holding offshore companies.
Below is the list of a few of the many prominent politicians of the government and Opposition whose names are in the Pandora Papers.
1. Shaukat Tarin:
Shaukat Tarin was recently inducted into Khan’s cabinet and appointed Finance and Revenue Minister. Tarin and three of his family members have four offshore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) jurisdiction. The Tarin family incorporated four offshore companies —Triperna Inc, Hamraa Inc, Seafex Inc, and Moonen Inc — all of them in 2014.
Tarin confirmed being part of the above companies directly or through his family members for the sole purpose of raising capital for his bank.
“We were in negotiations with a Middle East conglomerate for raising capital for my bank, through a structured transaction. The proposed investor had also taken the Central Bank’s in-principle approval for the investment.” He added that the companies remained dysfunctional and no business was carried out through them.
2. Faisal Vawda:
Former minister for water resources, Faisal Vawda, his wife, and his sister have an offshore company. The Vawda family incorporated Dazzling Worldwide Ltd in the BVI jurisdiction in 2012 to invest in UK properties, the Pandora Papers show.
Vawda told the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that he has declared all the worldwide assets held in his name to the Pakistani tax authorities.
3. Abdul Aleem Khan:
Another close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Abdul Aleem Khan also owns an offshore company. The Pandora Papers show that the registered directors of Hexam Investment Overseas Limited (BVI) — Aleem Khan and his wife — approved a written resolution of the offshore company on March 1, 2017, and confirmed being directors of Hexam Investment.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also initiated an investigation against Aleem Khan. It is, however, not confirmed whether he has declared the company in his tax returns or not.
Aleem Khan is now the owner of Samaa News.
4: Chaudhry Moonis Elahi:
Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi was the Settlor and Investment Director of the Green Hills Trust and Winthrop Fund.
Moonis wanted to invest money from the 2007 sale of land owned by Phalia Sugar Mills, an Elahi family business. Thomson Reuters Risk Management Solutions carried out due diligence of Moonis Elahi and produced a 19-page report with the details of his alleged involvement in corrupt land projects. The report mentioned fraudulent loans from the bank and selling the land to a government department. However, despite this due diligence report, Moonis was accepted as Asiaciti’s client.
The family spokesperson of Chaudhrys said that the assets of the family, including Chaudry Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudry Moonis Elahi, are declared as per applicable law.
5. Ali Dar:
The Pandora Papers reveal that former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s son, Ali Dar, owns two companies — Baraq Holdings Ltd and Dar Al Nahyan Ltd — registered in the British Virgin Islands.
Dar in his reply to The News said Dar Al Nahyan Limited remained dormant and no business has been done in the company, which has now been struck off the register. He said he has never been a tax resident in Pakistan and nor has he ever been involved in any professional employment or business activities whatsoever in Pakistan.
6. Sharjeel Inam Memon:
Former information minister in the Sindh government Sharjeel Inam Memon also owned three offshore companies in the BVI jurisdiction. The three companies that are owned by the Memon family include Ocean Wave Technologies Corp, Arctic Development Corp., and New Coast Executive Inc.
The companies are involved in the real estate business. The former provincial minister while talking to The News neither denied nor confirmedthe companies’ ownership.
Media owners included in Pandora Papers
The Pandora Papers have brought forth some media owners’ names who have offshore companies in offshore jurisdictions.
1. Hameed Haroon:
Hameed Haroon — CEO of Dawn media group — owns an offshore company Bardney Limited, registered in Seychelles.
In his official response to The News, Haroon said the company is duly declared and is being reported to the relevant authorities in Pakistan in accordance with the applicable laws of the land.
2. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman:
Jang Group’s Publisher Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman (MSR) owns an offshore company Brookwood Ventures Limited in the BVI jurisdiction. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was transferred the shares of the company on April 17, 2008.
Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, responding to the investigation cell, said, “No, it’s not true, I don’t own any company. However, I had this till 2018.” The News also asked him that the British Virgin Islands is a tax and secrecy haven. Why he opted to set up a company there. MSR replied that people invest in BVI as it offers attractive conditions for investment. MSR was also asked if he declared the company with the relevant tax authorities to which he said, “Yes, it was part of my wealth for the tax year 2018 and subject to taxes where applicable.”
3. Sultan Ali Lakhani:
Express Media Group Sultan Ali Lakhani also owns an offshore company Century Media Network Inc. The company was incorporated in February 2005.
The spokesperson of the Lakhani family said all companies are legal and as per law of the land wherever applicable.
4. Gourmet Group:
Pandora Papers reveal that an employee of Gourmet group named Amna Butt was appointed director of an offshore company, Gourmet Holdings Limited in the BVI jurisdiction. The Gourmet group owns a large chain of bakeries across Punjab. In addition, the group owns a news channel called Gourmet News Network (GNN) as well.
It is, however, not confirmed whether the company is declared with the Pakistani tax authorities or not. Amna Butt was sent a questionnaire by The News, but no response has been received from her.
Military officials and family included in Pandora Papers
Apart from the politicians, media owners, and civilian bureaucrats, some top retired military officials have also been named in the new leaks.
1. Major General (retd) Nusrat Naeem:
Major General (retd) Nusrat Naeem owned a BVI company, Afghan Oil & Gas Ltd that was registered in 2009, shortly after his retirement. In his response to the ICIJ, he said that the company had been set up by a friend and that he did not use it for any financial transactions.
2. Ahsan Latif:
Ahsan Latif — son-in-law of former Governor Punjab Lt General (retd) Khalid Maqbool — owned an offshore company, Dylan Capital Limited, registered in the British Virgin Islands.
It is not clear whether Ahsan Latif has declared the above-mentioned assets before the tax authorities in Pakistan. The News sent a query to him but received no response from him
3. Muhammad Hasan Muzaffar:
Pandora Papers reveal that Muhammad Hasan Muzaffar, son of Lt General (retd) Muhammad Afzal Muzaffar, owned shares in a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, Creek Growth Capital Holding Ltd. The offshore company owned Southeast Healthcare Holding, which in turn controlled a Dubai-based medical centre that now appears to be closed.
Hasan told ICIJ that the simple fact is there is no relation of this investment to his father. He further commented that the investment was made solely from his own income earned in the UAE and came from his UAE bank account. No other family member, including his father, was involved.
4. Shafatullah Shah:
The former military secretary of Gen Pervez Musharraf, Lt Gen (retd) Shafatullah Shah owns an expensive apartment in London through an offshore company, which is in the names of his wife and son.
5. Raja Nadir Pervez:
Pandora Papers also reveal that Raja Nadir Pervez, a retired army lieutenant colonel and former minister in the Nawaz Sharif-led government, owned International Finance & Equipment Ltd, a BVI-registered company. In the leaked files, the firm is involved in machinery and related businesses in India, Thailand, Russia, and China.
He is currently a member of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Raja Nadir Pervez did not respond to ICIJ reporters’ questions.
Businessmen and civil bureaucrats included in Pandora Papers
1. Yawar Salman:
Son of bureaucrat Salman Siddique, Yawar Salman along with another partner Noeen Ahmed Anwar registered an offshore company, just a little before the former’s father’s retirement. The company is called Cres Tech Holdings Limited in the BVI.
Yawar Salman told The News that the entity Cres Tech Holdings was incorporated as part of a then-envisaged plan to undertake a foreign business. However, owing to certain circumstances, neither any equity was contributed nor any bank account opened. Since no equity was ever contributed and the entity’s worth remains ‘nil’, the question of disclosing it to the tax authorities does not arise.
2. Javed Afridi:
The Pandora Papers have also revealed that the owner of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, Peshawar Zalmi, and renowned industrialist Javed Afridi owns three offshore companies in the BVI jurisdiction. Afridi is the beneficial owner of Old Trafford Properties Ltd, Sutton Gas Works Properties Ltd, and Gas Works Property Ltd.
Javed Afridi in his response confirmed to The News ownership of three offshore companies. He said the reason to incorporate them was for the good intention to save tax rather than avoiding any tax. According to him, the companies were almost dormant, and no business or investment was done by any of the companies.
Pandora Papers
The papers are named after the Greek myth of Pandora’s box. In the tale, Pandora opens a sealed box containing the forces of evil and suffering which, once released, were uncontainable.
BBC quoted Gerard Ryle, the director of ICIJ, as saying this leak was given the name because “we’re opening a box on a lot of things”.
This information revealed above has been named Pandora Papers and it adds significantly to what was discovered in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers.
The Pandora Papers have unmasked the fortunes of more than 330 public officials in 90 countries. Included among them are 35 current and former leaders of different countries. The King of Jordan, the rulers of Qatar and Dubai, presidents of the Ukraine, Kenya, and Ecuador, the prime ministers of the Czech Republic and Lebanon, and former British prime minister Tony Blair, all appear in the secret files.
For Pakistan, the files pose a big test to the accountability credentials of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had found the Panama Papers a “God-sent” opportunity to burnish his credentials as an anti-corruption warrior.
The documents were leaked to the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) which for nearly two years led an investigation collaborating with more than 600 journalists in 117 countries. This is the biggest journalism partnership in history, which involved 150 media organisations. For the Panama Papers, almost 400 journalists from 80 countries participated in the investigation. The News was the only ICIJ partner from Pakistan on both occasions. The Pandora Papers comprise 11.9 million documents whereas the Panama Papers had 11.5 million, reports The News.
Journalist Shiraz Hassan wrote, “I don’t know in what context he said that but we know that Nigeria has already won two medals in #Tokyo2020 – both by women athletes.”
Another Twitter user wrote, “Pakistan 2020 GDP: $263.6B, Nigeria 2020 GDP: $432B. How Mr. Vawda came to the conclusion that Nigeria is ‘small and poor’ really escapes me.”
Pakistan population: 220.8 million Nigeria population: 206.1 million
Pakistan landmass: 340.5K sq mi Nigeria landmass: 356.7K sq mi
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda, while taking at a jibe at the recent split in the Pro-Tareen group, took to Twitter and tweeted, “This is not a software update, but a special chip has been created and inserted to a specific section.”
Faisal also hit upon PTI MNA Raja Riaz, who is also a member of the PTI faction saying, “Another such chip is ready for Raja Ji [Raja Riaz] as well. It just needs to be installed.”
Faisal’s comment’s come as a reply to PTI’s MNA Amir Dogar, who while speaking on Geo Newsprogramme, ‘Capital Talk’ said that there has been a “group-wide software update” and that Nazir Chohan has “found his way back”.
Yesterday, Punjab MPA Nazir Chohan, a loyalist of PTI stalwart Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT), quit Tareen’s PTI faction, saying “Jahangir Tareen used him.”
Earlier in May, Faisal Vawda downplayed the significance of the leaders who supported JKT, saying they can be handled by a station house officer (SHO) alone.
One SHO, just one SHO, is enough for the whole Jahangir Tareen group: Senator Faisal Vawda pic.twitter.com/QULskK5V2K
Faisal Vawda criticised Jahangir Tareen on a talk show on ARY News, ‘Off The Record’, saying, “There is no doubt that Jahangir Khan Tareen is an intelligent and successful person. But he is not Imran Khan, for sure.”
Talking to The Current, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Qadir Mandokhel said that he has been pursuing a petition against Faisal Vawda for 2 years 9 months. “Now it’s just a waste of time.”
Mandokhel gave the example of an illegal building and a petition against it. “Agar building hee masmaar kar di toh kya faida abb iska” (If the illegal building has been demolished, what’s the use of pursuing a case against it). Mandokhel is referring to the fact that Vawda is no longer an MNA but a Senator now.
Mandokhel says he has high hopes from Sindh High Court where the petition on senatorship is still pending. Mandokhel says he wrote to the US Consulate but he was told by them that they do not reply to individual queries.
Mandokhel says Vawda hasn’t submitted his reply and questions why. He also questioned why the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is not doing much about this case.
On Thursday, none of the petitioners appeared before the ECP, meanwhile, Faisal Vawda did.
Vawda, while talking to senior journalist Matiullah Jan, seemed confident and said, “This seems more of a political case, and a political case has no standing. Everyone seems to have backed off for now.”
“The ECP is fully looking into the details of my case and is also providing me with a lot of chances to my rivals. But my all rival parties have disappeared,” added Vawda.
The ECP has three petitions related to the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Faisal Vawda, who is a former member of the National Assembly as well as a recently-elected Senator. The commission is yet to make a decision.
Petitioners against Vawda contend that he had dual citizenship when he filed his nomination papers in the 2018 general elections, a fact that he had concealed at the time. Therefore, they say that he should be disqualified.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda downplayed the significance of the leaders who support Jahangir Khan Tareen, saying they can be handled by a station house officer (SHO) alone.
One SHO, just one SHO, is enough for the whole Jahangir Tareen group: Senator Faisal Vawda pic.twitter.com/QULskK5V2K
Faisal Vawda criticised Jahangir Tareen on a talk show on ARY News, ‘Off The Record’, saying, “There is no doubt that Jahangir Khan Tareen is an intelligent and successful person. But he is not Imran Khan, for sure.”
The PTI leader said Tareen earned respect thanks to Imran Khan, adding that whatever reputation he had was only because of PM Khan. Giving his own example the leader said he came into power because PM Khan’s name was associated with him. He alone could not have done anything.
Vawda said no one should lose sight of their standing. He asserted, “Imran Khan is the leader and he will remain so and 50 million Jahangir Tareens, 500 million Faisal Vawdas, and 500 million cabinets put together could not create a single Imran Khan.”
On Tuesday night, Jahangir Khan Tareen hosted a dinner at his residence and announced a ‘group of like-minded people’. The newly formed group has appointed PTI’s Raja Riaz as Parliamentary Leader in the National Assembly while PML-N’s Saeed Akbar Nawani will lead in the Punjab Assembly.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved its judgement in the case seeking Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda’s disqualification. Prior to this development, Vawda cast his vote for the Upper House and resigned from his National Assembly seat, The Express Tribune has reported.
A single bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq was hearing the petition moved against the federal minister by Barrister Jahangir Jadoon. During the hearing, Vawda’s counsel argued that the case against him in the court stands ineffective following his resignation.
However, Jadoon objected to the argument, stating that several members of the assembly resigned from their seats and joined the parliament again in the past. He added that a person remains a member of the assembly unless the Speaker of the National Assembly accepts the resignation.
فیصل واوڈا کا استعفی اسمبلی سیکرٹریٹ نہیں پہنچا عدالت پہنچ گیا۔ کمال ہے۔۔قومی اسمبلی کی لیگل برانچ کو کچھ پتہ نہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/IoTKSUaw9f
— Ghabrana Nahin گھبرانا نہیں (@ghabrananahin) March 3, 2021
Faisal Vawda was a dual national at the time of filing nomination papers for 2018’s General Election and concealed his American citizenship by falsely declaring on the oath he submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Aamir Liaquat has taken a dig at Faisal Vawda, who is also an MNA from Karachi, after he was named by the party as its Senate nominee from Sindh.
Vawda, who is facing a case in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for allegedly lying about his dual nationality, might get disqualified from holding the NA seat. And many observers see his candidature as an attempt to circumvent the potential disqualification.
In a jibe at the Senate ticket for Vawda, Aamir Liaquat in a series of tweet ranted about the former getting a nomination for the upper house even though he didn’t deserve it.
The Karachi lawmaker also shared a picture of PM Imran Khan and Faisal Vawda that was captioned with a fictional dialogue between the two. “Only a Senate ticket… but you promised me tickets for provincial assemblies, Azad Kashmir Assembly, Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, and Lok Sabha ticket that Nawaz Sharif didn’t disclose in his documents. Not just these, you also promised to give me Green Line Bus ticket on a priority basis,” the PTI leader mocked his colleague.
صرف سینیٹ کا ٹکٹ آپ نے تو کہا تھا صوبائی اسمبلیوں, آزاد کشمیر اسمبلی, گلگت بلتستان اسمبلی اور لوک سبھا کو جو ٹکٹ نواز شریف نے دستاویزات میں ظاہر نہیں کیا وہ بھی دیں گے بلکہ گرین لائن بس کا ٹکٹ بھی پہلے سے دے دیں گے @FaisalVawdaPTI pic.twitter.com/IrXOWXUToC
He also criticised PM Imran for giving ticket to Vawda.
مشاہد اللہ صاحب سینیٹ کی رونق بڑھا رہے تھے فیصل بھائی آئیں گے تو رونق مزید بڑھے گی ! کیا ہی حسین منظر ہوگا ایک جانب سے مشاہد صاحب کے جوتے جملے اور دوسری جانب ڈیسک پہ جوتا
خان صاحب آپ نےامانتیں اہل لوگوں کے سپرد کرنے کے جوتاریخ ساز فیصلے کیے ہیں وہ بے مثال و لاجواب ہیں
The PTI leadership in Sindh is not happy with Vawda either. According to reports, key party leaders from three zones of rural Sindh approached the Sindh governor on Sunday to express their displeasure over the award of the Senate tickets of Vawda and Saifullah Abro.
The leaders who signed the letter included Sadaqat Ali Jatoi, brother of former Sindh chief minister Liaquat Jatoi, PTI Sukkur President Mubeen Jatoi, Allah Bux Unnar and Raja Khan Jhakrani, former provincial secretary general Mehfooz Usrani, a former candidate from NA-214 Shaheed Benazirabad Gul Muhammad Rind, former provincial minister Agha Taimoor Khan Pathan, Papu Khan Chachar and other party leaders.
