Ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) key coalition partners, the Chaudhrys of Gujarat, are being audited by Pakistani authorities to see if they own any assets in the United Kingdom and the British Virgin Islands (BVI).
According to sources, the Pakistani government, in a move being considered “backstabbing”, is making extensive inquiries into the potential assets owned directly or indirectly by Pervaiz Elahi, Chaudhary Shujaat, Moonis Elahi or any of their family members.
The authorities have sent at least two requests to the British government seeking assistance in the pursuit of the alleged assets but the search has not yet yielded positive results, reports said.
The first request to the UK government’s Home Office was made by the federal government around two years ago, soon after the PTI and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) entered into a coalition. The request was on behalf of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
A similar letter seeking to trace Moonis’ alleged assets was also sent to the BVI. Both the Home Office and the BVI had informed Pakistani officials that they were unable to trace the assets.
Sources say a new request – not initiated by NAB – was sent in recent months to find out if Moonis, his father, his uncle or other family members own any assets in the UK.
The trace is based on suspicions that Moonis owns assets in the UK and possibly elsewhere too, but nothing has been identified so far.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) had written in April 2013 that Moonis was a shareholder of a BVI offshore company called Olive Grove Assets Ltd and that this company was set up with the help of the UBS Switzerland AG.
Pervaiz Elahi’s son created the offshore structure in 2006 in the BVI but no asset has ever been linked with the aforementioned offshore company yet, claimed the ICIJ.
“All of my assets and investments have been duly declared in my tax returns. Yes, we are their coalition partners. If this is happening, I am not surprised. After a failed attempt to marginalise and persecute the opposition, they have decided to target their allies,” Moonis said while speaking to a private media outlet.
