Minutes after the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released its investigation report, PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and Moonis Elahi clarified that their family assets are “declared as per the law”.
Leaked documents titled “Pandora Papers” reveal that key members of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s inner circle, including cabinet ministers, their families and major financial backers have secretly owned an array of companies and trusts holding millions of dollars of hidden wealth.
“Misleading interpretations and data have been circulated in files against Chaudhry Brothers in the name of so-called accountability,” the PML-Q spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday.
Quoting the Chaudhry brothers, the spokesperson added that in the past “due to political victimisation misleading interpretations and data have been circulated in files for nefarious reasons against them in the name of so-called accountability”.
However, the documents contain no suggestion that Premier Imran himself owns offshore companies, according to the ICIJ report.
Also read: Nearly 700 Pakistanis named in ‘Pandora Papers’
The files show how Moonis Elahi, a key political ally of Imran Khan’s, planned to put the proceeds from an allegedly corrupt business deal into a secret trust, concealing them from Pakistan’s tax authorities.
According to Express News, nearly 700 Pakistanis have been named in the report including Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, PPP leader Sharjeel Memon, PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar’s son Ali Dar, Punjab provincial minister Aleem Khan, PTI Senator Faisal Vawda, PML-Q Leader and Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi.
Besides, retired government officials, former and incumbent bureaucrats, businessmen including Axact’s owner Shoaib Ahemd Sheikh are also mentioned in the report.
The leaked documents also contain names of Finance Minister Tarin’s family, and the son of PM Imran former adviser for finance and revenue, Waqar Masood Khan. The records also reveal the offshore dealings of a top PTI donor, Arif Naqvi, who is facing fraud charges in the United States.
Reacting to the revelation, Prime Minister Imran Khan vowed to investigate all those Pakistanis mentioned in the Pandora Papers, saying: “If any wrongdoing is established we will take appropriate action.
