12 billionaires among Pakistan’s National Assembly members

Islamabad, November 11 

There are 12 billionaires in Pakistan’s National Assembly whereas many of the different lawmakers have been additionally rich, possessing massive properties within the nation and overseas and big investments in shares, based on a media report on Wednesday.

The lawmakers who’re rolling in cash and are holding valuable belongings embrace high politicians from nearly all of the mainstream events, the Dawn News reported. 

Landlords and capitalists dominate Pakistan’s 342-member National Assembly — the decrease legislative home — with nearly all of members possessing big items of land and big investments in shares, shares and industrial items, it stated, citing the assertion of belongings of the lawmakers for yr 2019 launched by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

As many as 12 out of the whole 342 members of the National Assembly have declared that they personal belongings value over a billion rupees. Five of the declared billionaires are from Punjab, one other 5 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two from Sindh, the report stated.

While 5 of the billionaire lawmakers are from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) of Prime Minister Imran Khan, two are from its ally Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), three from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and one every from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP).

Interestingly, many different leaders — together with Prime Minister Khan, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of the PML-N and PTI’s Khayal Zaman Orakzai — who within the earlier years had put the value of their belongings at over a billion rupees, opted to say the price of their belongings this time, which is lower than a billion.

Prime Minister Khan owns belongings value over Rs 80 million, although this doesn’t embrace the worth of his 300-kanal villa in Bani Gala that he says was a present. Almost all different properties together with a home in Lahore’s Zaman Park, round 600 acres (4,800 kanals) of agricultural land apart from non-agricultural land, too, are said to be inherited.

However, this yr he has not talked about two properties, which he had listed within the assertion of belongings filed final yr, measuring round 15 acres within the Bhakkar space.

While Khan continues to own 4 goats valued at Rs 200,000, he doesn’t personal any car. He has Rs 77.53 million money in hand and within the financial institution accounts. Khan additionally has 518 kilos in a international forex account and USD 331,230 in two different accounts. He has additionally given Rs 11.97 million upfront for a flat. 

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who occurs to be one of many 12 declared billionaires, has extra belongings within the UAE than in Pakistan. He has prolonged over Rs 1.24 billion mortgage to 4 firms from the cash he inherited from his mom and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto after her assassination. The whole worth of his shares within the 4 firms types solely a small fraction of the quantity he has lent to them.

He has shares in two villas in Dubai, however their worth has not been talked about within the assertion. The whole value of his belongings involves Rs 1.58 billion. He owns 19 properties in Pakistan together with over 200 acres of land, most of that are inherited or gifted. He additionally owns weapons value Rs Three million.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari owns 1000’s of acres of agricultural land apart from properties in Dubai. The whole value of his belongings has been said to be Rs 676.87 million out of which he has Rs 316.70 million money in hand. He owns over a dozen properties in Pakistan apart from his share within the 5 properties that he inherited from his partner Benazir Bhutto.

Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif has greater than 83 acres of agricultural land. In Pakistan, he owns 4 non-agricultural properties, whereas he additionally has a home in London. Besides, he has two automobiles and Rs 21.9 million in financial institution accounts.

The worth of his belongings in Pakistan and overseas is Rs 247.49 million, however on the similar time, he has liabilities value Rs 146.67 million when it comes to loans and mortgages in Pakistan and the UK, leaving his web value at Rs 100.71 million.

Considering his liabilities, his first spouse, Nusrat Shehbaz, with web wealth of Rs 235.21 million is richer. She has two homes — one every in Lahore and Dunga Gali, Hazara division, KP valued at Rs 186.58 million — apart from shares in a number of agricultural properties, industrial items. She additionally has round Rs 30.67 million in money and financial institution accounts. She doesn’t personal any car. 

The wealth of Shehbaz Sharif’s his second spouse, Tehmina Shehbaz, stays round Rs 5.76 million, together with Rs Four million when it comes to jewelry and family furnishings, whereas her automobile is valued at Rs 500,000.

Ihsan Bajwa, PML-N member from Bahawalnagar, is the richest among the many lawmakers with whole belongings value over Rs Four billion, excluding liabilities within the UAE. 

PTI lawmaker from Peshawar, Noor Alam Khan, is second within the line. He owns belongings value Rs 3.20 billion.

Another PTI lawmaker from Peshawar, Arbab Umar Amir Ayub, owns belongings value over Rs 2.56 billion. Chaudhry Salik Hussain of the PML-Q, son of former premier Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, has declared the value of his belongings as Rs 1.60 billion. 

PTI lawmaker Najib Haroon from Karachi can be a billionaire. He owns belongings value Rs 1.54 billion. 

The different billionaires embrace Moonis Elahi (PML-Q), Mohammad Yaqoob Sheikh (PTI), A H Azam Khan Hoti (ANP), Noorul Hasan Tanveer (PML-N) and Minister for Power Omar Ayub (PTI). —PTI