Aleem Khan and Zulfi Bukhari of PTI, family members of businessman Seth Abid, close associates of PPP and MQM leadership and Oscar winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s mother Saba Obaid are among the 259 Pakistanis holding offshore assets/companies
ISLAMABAD – The second round of the Panama Papers, released on Monday by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), have revealed names of more than 250 Pakistani nationals having offshore companies.
The news list include names of PTI’s Imran Khan’s close aide, PPP’s Benazir Bhutto’s cousin, PPP’s President Asif Ali Zardari and MQM’s Altaf Hussain’s close friend, Seth Abid’s son, retired admiral’s son, former MD of Port Qasim Authority and mother of Oscar Award winner Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy.
According to the data, new list issued on May 9, 2016 show the close associates of politicians and families of celebrities are set to capture more attention than the businessmen including those who registered companies only to open accounts in Swiss banks.
New release of Panama Papers is based on 11.5 million files shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The list includes more than 200,000 offshore entities in over 200 countries and territories connected to bank accounts.
The ICIJ has made the database available for public on Monday (at 1800 UTC) on Offshore Leaks Database.
The leaks of last month claimed that 200 people including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s children Maryam, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz had offshore wealth outside Pakistan. Pakistan army pressurized the PML-N government in an extremely rare move late last month when Army Chief General Raheel Sharif sacked 12 high-ranking officers, including two generals and three brigadiers, over corruption allegations.
Nawaz Sharif is under tremendous pressure from opposition that demands his resignation till completion of investigation by a Chief Justice-led commission.
In the previously leaked data, reports thus far have focused on scores of high-profile individuals: political leaders, celebrities and a few criminals. Iceland’s prime minister was forced to resign when his name was linked to an offshore company. British Prime Minister David Cameron ended up admitting he profited from an offshore firm started by his father. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest circle was named in the revelations, as well as Argentine football star Lionel Messi, Hong Kong film star Jackie Chan and Spanish movie director Pedro Almodovar.
The ICIJ will be revealing an online searchable database which will let anybody search and view the details of the owners of any offshore companies whose information was leaked through Mossack Fonseca.
All of the original documents will also be available for verification of the owners of the offshore companies. The database is said to be one of the largest ever document leak online. The database cannot be used to access personal information like addresses, phone number, passport numbers and email addresses. The database will be available starting 11PM today.
Panama Papers Part 2 has revealed names of Pakistanis who are close aides of PTI chief Imran Khan, former President Asif Ali Zardari, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and a number of business executives, including:
Irfan Iqbal Puri: He is considered equally close to Asif Ali Zardari and MQM’s Altaf Hussain. He is said to be a business partner of Zardari and another powerful minister of former PPP government. He also reportedly submitted surety bonds to get MQM chief bailed out in London. He, along with his son, owns IP Commodities Limited, IP Global Limited and Pure Palm Oil Limited, according to the Panama Papers.
Tariq Islam: A cousin of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He has been named as owner of Link Investments Limited in the leaked documents.
Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bokhari: A close friend and financier of Imran Khan. Bokhari’s father Wajid Bokhari also served as a minister in the interim government of 2008. He owns six offshore companies named K-Factor Limited, Bradbury Resources Ltd, Bayteck Limited, Bayla Trading Limited, Poreim Trading Limited and Ganstam Trading Limited, along with his two sisters.
Abdul Sattar Dero: A close aide of the Zardari Family. He owns Destiny Investment Development Limited and Simkins International Limited along with Zahida Dero, Fahad Sattar Dero and Fawad Sattar Dero. He was among beneficiaries of notorious NRO order issued in 2007. Dero has also served as MD Port Qasim Authority.
Naseer Khan: Health minister of PML-Q led government under Shaukat Aziz. Along with his brother Zaffarullah Khan and his son Muhammad Jibran together, he owns Atwood Investments Limited.
Sajid Mahmood: The son of renowned businessman Seth Abid Ali. He is a shareholder of an offshore company named Mossgreen Limited.
Shaukat Ahmed: Former president of Karachi Chamber of Commerce, he is the beneficial owner of Global Link Properties Inc. along with his relatives Imran Shaukat, Rashid Bashir and Khurshid Ahmed Sheikh.
Izzat Majeed: A dual-national Pakistani who founded Sachal Studios Orchestra in Pakistan. He is the beneficial owner of Nativus Resources Limited in British Virgin Islands.
Saba Obaid: Mother of Oscar-winning Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. She owns three offshore companies named Fabrics International Services Limited, Belize Group Limited and Bella Holding Group Limited, along with her daughter.
Azfar Hassan: A son of Admiral (Retd.) Muzaffar Hassan. Nabila-Matrix Limited is registered in his name, along with Nadeem Iqbal Saigol.
Valliani family: A Pakistani family which is renowned as fashion and jewellery designers, it owns European American, Investments Limited, Polenta Capital, Ikogenia Trust and Emirates Commerce Limited, in the names of Fawaz Valliani, Zehra Valliani and Sameena Valliani.
Mehreen Akbar: The wife of Ghous Akbar. She is holds shares in four offshore companies named Mark Investment Limited, IMM Gulf Limited, Indigo Properties Limited and Zarmay Investments Ltd, along with her two sisters.
Munir Monnoo: A Karachi-based businessman, he established Clifton Holdings Services Incorporated in Panama to open accounts in a Swiss bank.