SC to hear suo motu notice about foreign accounts, assets on Jan 14

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan will hear the suo motu notice case about the foreign accounts and assets on January 14. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar will hear the case. Notices have been issued to all parties, including the FBR chairman and the FIA DG. Aleema Khan, sister of Prime Minister Imran Khan, is also on the list of the people having properties abroad. In February 2018, Justice Nisar had taken suo motu notice of foreign bank accounts held by Pakistani citizens. During the last hearing, the court had assailed the FBR chairman and an income tax official for ‘slowing down’ the investigation and ‘putting the case in cold storage’. Meanwhile, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted in court another report, saying that it had identified another 96 individuals who have properties in the United Arab Emirates. According to the reports, as many as 1,211 Pakistanis have properties in the UAE. Of them, 774 have submitted their affidavits, while 363 have been issued notices. The report stated that 60 people could not be identified, 57 are not cooperating with the probe, and one is absconding. It further stated that 60 Pakistanis have understated their properties to the FBR. The hearing was adjourned till January 14.