The Election Commission of Pakistan revealed in a recent report released on Tuesday that several Pakistani ministers – including members of National, Balochistan and Punjab assembly – own multimillion properties offshore. The report also declares 12 billionaires among the 342 National Assembly members.
According to the report, Balochistan’s incumbent Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani owns assets valuing Rs728 million, including residential properties outside of Pakistan. He owns a fleet of 15 vehicles worth around Rs48 million, a business worth of Rs19 million and 40 acres of agricultural land. His spouse owns Rs12 million worth of jewellery.
Former Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani owns assets worth Rs212 million, including a flat worth around Rs17 million in Malta and residential properties worth Rs96 million. His other assets also total to Rs96 million.
The ex-CM’s family owns Rs30 million worth of assets.
It is pertinent to mention that the National Accountability of Pakistan filed a reference against Raisani, his brother Lashkari Raisani and several others for the embezzlement of millions of rupees from the treasury of Balochistan. NAB alleged that Raisani and the others used their political authority to illegally deliver financial gains to their families and friends.
Former Chief Minister of Balochistan Sanaullah Zehri, who recently quit PML-N, also owns millions worth of agricultural land in Khuzdar and Karachi and multimillion flat in Dubai.
Yar Muhammad Rind, President of PTI in Balochistan and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, owns thousands of acres of agricultural land, several other properties in Karachi, Quetta, Dera Murad Jamali and Dubai. Rind owns Rs250 million worth of agricultural machinery and 646 tola gold.
Punjab ministers
According to the ECP report, Punjab Food Minister Alam Khan, who declared himself a billionaire, has taken an unsecured loan worth Rs1.21 billion. He and his wife own a combined property of Rs159 million, whereas his spouse and daughter also own assets in the UK and UAE.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also owns multimillion properties. He also owns a 14-Kanal Bungalow in Kansa Sharif and several kanals of agricultural land in Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan. He owns vehicles worth around Rs7.7 million.
Hamza Shahbaz, member of the Punjab Assembly and the son of the former Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, owns assets worth Rs414 million. His agricultural land, gifted by his brother, stands at Rs30 million and has invested roughly Rs130 million.
The billionaires of the National Assembly
The ECP report has placed 12 out of the 342 National Assembly members in the list of billionaires. Per the report, landlords, investors and capitalists dominate the NA with a combined worth of tens of billions of rupees. These include top politicians from almost all of the mainstream political parties of Pakitan, including the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.
ECP’s statement of the assets held by MNAs for the year 2019 has placed five members of the ruling PTI, 2 members of PML-Q, three members of PML-N and each from PPP and ANP in the list of the billionaires.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, one of the 12 listed billionaires, has more assets in UAE than in Pakistan. He has also extended around Rs1.24 billion to four companies in the loan and owns two villas in Dubai, including one in Jumairah, of unknown value. His assets total to Rs1.58 billion.
Noor Alam Khan, a PTI lawmaker from Peshawar, is also in the aforesaid list with a net worth of Rs3.2 billion. Arbab Umar Ayub, another lawmaker from Peshawar, owns assets worth Rs2.56 billion.