Jahangir Tareen avoided mentioning complete assets in nomination forms, remarks SC in disqualification case

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan remarked on Thursday that the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Jahangir Tareen did not mention his complete assets in his nomination forms submitted to the election commission of Pakistan.

Resuming the hearing of landmark case that would define the future of affluent PTI leader, the chief justice observed that though the agriculture land in question was on the lease, the earnings received from it would qualify as assets and thus had to be shown in the required documents.

The chief justice remarked that they were trying to understand the law and not giving a final opinion on the matter.

'Money generated through agriculture and rent incurred on it would qualify as income' remarked Mian Saqib Nisar and declared that Tareen was utilising 18,000 acres of land for agriculture.

Sikandar Bashir Mohmand, Tareen's counsel argued that Tareen could not be disqualified while wondering where did he tell a lie?

Justice Faisal Arab observed that on the relevant forum, the impending case relates to federal laws, however, the issue of agricultural tax was provincial matter.

He also pitched a question that whether the agricultural authority issued any notice in this regard.

To this, the counsel replied that no notice was served to Tareen adding that there was an ambiguity in the law exercised by the authority.

He continued that Tareen informed the Federal Board of Revenue about the total income including the one extracted from agriculture.