A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, on Monday continued hearing a case filed by PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi for the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan.

Submitting his 'evidence' against what he termed a 'false statement' by PTI regarding party funding to the court, lawyer Akram Sheikh, representing Abbasi, requested the court to disqualify Imran Khan from the National Assembly.

"Imran Khan made false statements in his tax returns," Akram Sheikh insisted as he submitted different documents to support his position.

"He is no longer Sadiq or Ameen," Sheikh said.

Explore: Parties shouldn’t use courts to wash political dirt: CJ

"Imran Khan declared his London flats through an Amnesty Scheme in 2000," Akram Sheikh claimed as he addressed the court.

"The flats were owned by Niazi Services, and after the sale of the apartments what importance does Niazi Services hold?"

"After the disposal of the London flats, the offshore company became a shell company," Sheikh alleged.

Sheikh also filed a request with the court to bring forth documents regarding the details of Imran Khan's bank accounts, along with those of his former spouse, Jemimah Khan, and the CitiBank account of one Rashid Ali Khan.

"I request the court to ask for details of a transaction made by Imran Khan, wherein he transferred $660,693 from Jemimah's account," the counsel asked the court.

"If someone does not state his foreign income in his wealth or income tax statements, then he is no longer Sadiq or Ameen," he insisted.

"Your point is that he [Khan] should have mentioned his flat in London and declared his offshore company in his tax returns," the chief justice noted as he addressed the counsel.

"By quoting relevant laws, can you explain how, if a property is declared via an amnesty scheme, a person can be disqualified?" the chief justice asked Sheikh.

"The flat was sold for (approximately) $600,000," Sheikh responded. "The Bani Gala estate was bought for (approximately) $300,000. Where did the other half go?"

Responding to that the counsel, Chief Justice Nisar said: "A person cannot be disqualified on mere assumptions."

Sheikh nonetheless insisted that the matter was criminal in nature.

"The sale of the London flats and the purchase of the Bani Gala estate are merely tales. This is really a matter of money laundering," Sheikh alleged.

"I'm sure you know more about money laundering," Sheikh asked the chief justice.

"Do you believe me to be involved in laundering money?" Justice Nisar retorted to loud laughter in the courtroom.

"So what you're trying to say is that Imran Khan's claim, that his Bani Gala property was a gift, is a lie?" Justice Umer Atta Bandial asked the counsel.

"The Bani Gala property was a benami, it could not have been a gift," Sheikh maintained.

"This was a matter between a husband and wife," responded the chief justice. "If Jemimah declared the property as a gift, then what objections can be raised against it?"

Postponing the hearing till tomorrow, the court issued notices seeking a response from Imran Khan and PTI.

Opinion

Editorial

Kurram ceasefire
Updated 26 Nov, 2024

Kurram ceasefire

DESPITE efforts by the KP government to bring about a ceasefire in Kurram tribal district, the bloodletting has...
Hollow victory
26 Nov, 2024

Hollow victory

THE conclusion of COP29 in Baku has left developing nations — struggling with the mounting costs of climate...
Infrastructure schemes
26 Nov, 2024

Infrastructure schemes

THE government’s decision to finance priority PSDP schemes on a three-year rolling basis is a significant step...
Anti-women state
Updated 25 Nov, 2024

Anti-women state

GLOBALLY, women are tormented by the worst tools of exploitation: rape, sexual abuse, GBV, IPV, and more are among...
IT sector concerns
25 Nov, 2024

IT sector concerns

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ambitious plan to increase Pakistan’s IT exports from $3.2bn to $25bn in the ...
Israel’s war crimes
25 Nov, 2024

Israel’s war crimes

WHILE some powerful states are shielding Israel from censure, the court of global opinion is quite clear: there is...