Pak politicians’ wives richer than their husbands

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former premier Imran Khan’s wives have financial assets worth more than their husbands, the media reported on Thursday. According to a statement of assets filed for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020 with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Nusrat Shehbaz, the first wife of the prime minister, is richer than her husband and owns wealth worth Rs 230.29 million.

The prime minister’s wife also owns nine agricultural properties and one house each in Lahore and Hazara divisions. Apart from the assets, Shehbaz Sharif ’s wife has significant investments in various sectors, but does not own a vehicle, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The prime minister however has wealth worth Rs 104.21 million with a liability of Rs 141.78 million. His assets include 495 kanals of agricultural land in Lahore and Sheikhupura, two houses -- one in Murree and the other in Lahore -- while his residence in London is worth around Rs 137.43 million. He has investments in Pakistan, possesses two vehicles, and has been maintaining around Rs 20 million in bank accounts for several years.

Tehmina Durrani, the prime minister’s second wife, has assets hovering around Rs 5.76 million for several years. She possesses the same car for the last couple of years, said the report filed with the ECP. Former prime minister Imran Khan owns four goats worth Rs 200,000.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) chief also possesses six properties, the most prominent of which is his 300-kanal villa in Banigala, as well as inherited properties, including a house in Lahore’s Zaman Park, around 600 acres of farmland, apart from nonagricultural land. The cricketer-turned-politician neither owns a vehicle nor property outside Pakistan, does not have any investment, and has more than Rs 60 million in bank accounts, apart from USD 329,196 and 518 pound sterlings in Pakistani foreign currency accounts. His wife Bushra Bibi’s net worth is Rs 142.11 million.

The former prime minister’s third wife also owns four properties, including a house in Banigala, as well as a vehicle. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is among the declared billionaires, having a total wealth worth Rs 1.6 billion. The bulk of his wealth, however, remains outside the country in the UAE. —PTI