Prime Minister Imran Khan owns wealth of around Rs 110 million whereas Chairman Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is among the richest parliamentarians with his assets exceeding Rs 1.54 billion while President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif owns around Rs 190 million.
These details came to light on Tuesday after Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued the wealth details of the incumbent parliamentarians for the last financial year (2018-19), a mandatory requirement under the relevant provisions of electoral laws.
According to PM Imran Khan's assets details submitted with the Commission, the net worth of his wealth is valued at Rs 108,236,000. This includes four goats that value Rs 200,000. The Premier has bank accounts in rupee, dollar, pound and euro. He does not have any vehicle registered in his name. Khan has shown, in his wealth details, his lavish Banigala residence as a gifted property (gifted by ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith) and has not disclosed its value. He has Rs 24 million cash in hand and owns 155 acres agricultural and commercial land.
The PM has also voluntarily submitted the wealth details of his spouse Bushra Bibi in the ECP, even though she is not a parliamentarian. She has a 3-kanal house in Banigala, 431 kanals of land in Pakpattan and 266 kanals of land in Okara registered in her name, according to Bushra Bibi's wealth details submitted with ECP.
Bilawal's wealth details reveal that he is one of the richest lawmakers. He is a shareholder in two luxury villas in Dubai and his net worth is valued at Rs 1.54 billion. In comparison with Bilawal, worth of his father Asif Ali Zardari's net assets is over Rs 670 million. Both Zardari and his son Bilawal hold Iqama (work permit) of Dubai. He has horses worth more than Rs 10 million and weapons worth Rs 16.6 million. As many as six luxury vehicles are registered in Zardari's name.
President PML-N Shehbaz Sharif has assets of over Rs 140.78 million abroad. The net worth of his assets is around Rs 190 million. He has two properties and a bank account in London. In Pakistan, the property registered in his name is valued at Rs 14.7 million. Shehbaz is a shareholder in Hudaibia Paper Mills and Hudaibia Engineering. Shehbaz has two wives and worth of the assets of his first wife Nusrat Shehbaz is Rs 230 million and that of his second wife Tehmina Durrani is Rs 5.7 million.
MNA Makhdoom Sami Ul Hassan Gillani of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is among the billionaire lawmakers with assets valuing more than Rs 1 billion.
Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is also among the rich legislators whose assets are valued at Rs 600 million. Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Khursheed Shah owns over Rs 60 million, according to documents shared by ECP.
PML-N lawmaker Rana Sanaullah, who was arrested by Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on Monday last for allegedly having links with drug peddlers, has assets worth over Rs 64 million.
Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, who also has additional portfolio of Federal Minister for Postal Services, is among the 'poorest' parliamentarians and has Rs 3.6 million cash and 15 tolas of gold as assets in his possession.
The Section 137 of Elections Act 2017 makes it obligatory on every lawmaker to submit his/her statement of assets and liabilities with the ECP. This section reads, "Submission of statement of assets and liabilities.-(1) Every Member of an Assembly and Senate shall submit to the Commission, on or before 31st December each year, a copy of his statement of assets and liabilities including assets and liabilities of his spouse and dependent children as on the preceding thirtieth day of June on Form B. (2) The Commission, on the first day of January each year through a press release, shall publish the names of Members who failed to submit the requisite statement of assets and liabilities within the period specified under subsection (1). (3) The Commission shall, on the sixteenth day of January, by an order suspend the membership of a Member of an Assembly and Senate who fails to submit the statement of assets and liabilities by the fifteenth day of January and such Member shall cease to function till he files the statement of assets and liabilities. (4) Where a Member submits the statement of assets and liabilities under this section which is found to be false in material particulars, he may, within one hundred and twenty days from the date submission of the statement, be proceeded against for committing the offence of corrupt practice." Section 138 of Elections Act 2017 reads, "Publication of statement of assets and liabilities.-The Commission shall publish in the official Gazette the statements of assets and liabilities received by it under section 137 and any person may obtain copies of a statement of assets and liabilities on payment of prescribed fee."