Lawmakers share wealth of detail with nation
By Iftikhar A. Khan and Kalbe Ali
ISLAMABAD: The value of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s only declared property remained almost unchanged during 2009-10, but he managed to save more than half a million rupees from his annual salary of less than Rs1 million, the statements of assets and liabilities of members of the National Assembly submitted to the Election Commission reveal.
In his statement, the prime minister has described his salary as the only source of income. The statement shows that out of his net annual salary of Rs 971,340, his net saving during the year was Rs571,340 while domestic expenses during the year stood at Rs400,000.
The value of his assets in year 2008-09 was Rs18.9 million, increasing to Rs19.47 million in 2009-10.
Interestingly, the prime minister does not own a car.
He had declared the value of his house in Muslim Gilani Colony, Multan, as Rs6.3 million in 2008-09. It remained unchanged the following year. The declaration made no mention of two houses in Defence area of Lahore, one under his own use and the other his son’s.
The statement is full of typos and according to it Mr Gilani is in possession of 200 tola gold “armaments”.
Noor Alam Khan of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) appears to be the richest MNA with a net worth of assets valued over Rs3.5 billion. He has mentioned the value of his two pieces of property as Rs3.5 billion and Rs8 million.
Mr Alam has Rs1.6 million in his bank account and has transferred Rs1 million to an unspecified person. He also possesses jewellery weighing 200 tolas worth millions of rupees, but runs no business. He owns a 1997 model Toyota car, the value of which he chose not to mention.
Next in the list of richest MNAs is Mehboobullah Jan from Kohistan (NA-23) with the worth of his assets slightly decreasing from Rs3.27 billion in 2008-09 to Rs3.19 billion in 2010. He also belongs to the PPP.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of the PML-N is third. The value of assets of Mr Abbasi, who runs a private airline, was Rs1.628 billion in 2008-09, climbing to Rs1.987 billion in 2009-10.
Former minister for industries and production Jehangir Khan Tarin (PML-F) is also among the billionaire lawmakers. His assets worth Rs1.09 billion in 2008-09 slightly dropped to the value of Rs1.06 billion.
The statements of assets submitted by a number of MNAs appear to falsify a perception that the lawmakers roll in money, with many of them showing that they own no property or car.
PPP’s MNA Jamshed Dasti owns no vehicle, property or jewellery and has no money in his bank account.
Former minister of state Ayatullah Durrani had assets worth Rs750,000 in 2008-09 and Rs950,000 the following year.
Farooq Sattar, the parliamentary leader of the MQM, had assets worth Rs6.3 million in 2008-09. Their value dropped to Rs4.93 million the following year. Molvi Agha Mohammad (NA-261) has assets worth only Rs1 million.
Mir Ahmadan Khan Bugti has assets worth only Rs2.38 million.
Former minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi, who is under trial on charges of corruption in the Haj scam, has declared the value of his assets at Rs25.57 million.
Kashmala Tariq of PML-Q’s Likeminded group has net liabilities of Rs25.72 million. She has mentioned the value of her jewellery weighing 200 tolas at Rs8 million.
The Leader of Opposition in National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, in his declaration has not mentioned the value of his assets. He owns a 42 acre farmhouse in Chakri, Rawalpindi, a Pajero and 2010 model Mercedes, six plots of one kanal each in various cities, a house in Faizabad and 430 kanals of agricultural land in Chakri.
He also has a bank balance of Rs9.3 million.
The JUI-F chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has assets of Rs3.6 million. He owns one-fifth share of a house in Dera Ismail Khan, a house in Shorkot worth Rs2 million and a plot in D.I. Khan. Has no vehicle registered in his name.
The PML-Q leader, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, is the owner of two houses worth Rs8.4 million, 78 acres of land worth Rs3.7 million, 12.5 acres of farmland in Kasur worth Rs4.5 million and a Jeep.
His bank balance is Rs46 million and he also owns 50 tolas of gold ornaments.
Speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza owns three plots of land worth Rs35 million in different cities. She paid Rs11 million in advance for an overseas apartment and purchased shares of more than Rs7 million of the Mirza Sugar Mills. She owns 144 tolas of jewellery worth Rs5.1 million.
The ANP chief, Asfandyar Wali, owns a house worth Rs4 million, 66 acres of agriculture land worth Rs30 million and a vehicle worth Rs500,000.
The value of the assets of Faryal Talpur, sister of President Asif Ali Zardari, increased from Rs64.34 million to Rs90.77 million.
Former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi owned assets worth Rs62.89 million, whose value rose over a year to Rs107 million.
Those who do not own a car include the Minister of State for Finance, Hina Rabbani Khar, former interior minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, Maulana Fazl’s brother Maulana Ataur Rahman, former chief minister Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Mir Ahmadan Bugti, Dr Ayatullah Durrani, former defence minister Aftab Shaban Mirani and President Zardari’s sister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho.
Source: Dawn
Date:4/21/2011
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