Imran files incomplete money trail in apex court

Admits no salary record found from English counties

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday filed incomplete money trail in the Supreme Court, admitting no salary record of English counties was found.

The statement, filed by Imran Khan in the Supreme Court in the foreign funding case through his counsel Naeem Bukhari, says that at no point in time there was any money laundered for he played professional cricket since teenage and was entirely self-sufficient with all financial obligations throughout his overseas career.

The documents related to the money earned overseas were also attached with the statement which explained neither of the English counties for whom Imran played cricket maintained salary records beyond 20 years, so they were not available. However, it stated that by 1980 Imran was the highest-paid overseas player in the UK. “Besides salary, he received payments for endorsements, newspaper articles, interviews and prize money in the Kerry Packer series,” it added.

It mentioned Imran was sent for study as an undergraduate to University of Oxford, England, in 1971. During his study, he was selected to play cricket for Pakistan and also for Worcestershire in the same year. He also played for Sussex County from 1977 to 1988. All the payments made to Imran Khan were income tax-deducted at the source, the statement said.

During his term as a professional cricketer with Sussex County, his contract for each season was for a period of not less than six months, it said. On account of the number of days spent outside Pakistan to fulfil his commitment to Sussex County cricket and to participate in other international cricketing events during that period Imran Khan was “non-resident” in accordance with the Pakistan income tax law. Therefore, the Pakistani income tax law did not apply to him, the reply added.

It further said Imran Khan played for Kerry Packer series from 1977 to 1979 at $25,000 per year, adding at that time US dollar was equivalent to UK pound.

Money for airfare, boarding, lodging, prize money and product endorsements were in addition to playing cricket, the reply submitted by the PTI chief in the apex court said.

Imran Khan does not have any record of the exact schedule of employment for himself, however, as an example, Mushtaq Ahmed’s contract was attached, which indicates what another lesser known cricketer was paid later along with all the perks, the statement read.

Imran also played cricket in Australia for New South Wales from 1984 to 1985 and was paid 50,000 Australian dollars which at that time were equivalent to 25,000 UK pounds, it was stated in the reply.

“In 1984, Imran Khan got a one-bedroom apartment, 165 Draycott Avenue, Chelsea London, on mortgage through Royal Trust, in the name of Niazi Services Limited. The purchase price of the flat was 117,500 UK pounds. The mortgage of the flat was for 20 years,” the statement added.

The statement further said 61,000 UK pounds were paid as initial down payment to Royal Trust out of the money earned from playing cricket for Sussex and out of his savings as well as $75,000 received from Kerry Packer series.

“The Royal Trust mortgage contract was created on April 2, 1984, and the interest rate was fixed at 13.75 percent per year for five years. The mortgage loan of the principal amount was paid off by Imran Khan in 68 months by December 1989, thus redeeming his mortgage,” the statement said.

As per the statement, these redemption amounts, 55,000 UK pounds, were mostly from the earnings from his benefit year with Sussex, while interest payments were made from 50,000 Australian dollars (equal to 25,000 UK pounds) received while playing for New South Wales in Australia in winter 1984–1985 and from his salary income during the 68 months of the mortgage. In 1987, Imran had a benefit year in which he earned 190,000 UK pounds.

“The amounts earned abroad for paying the mortgage loan well before its due date were savings from the contract with Sussex, the Kerry Packer cricket series and the benefit year income on which all withholding taxes were deducted. Net payments were made to Imran Khan,” the statement said.

As per the statement presented to the apex court, Imran started earning money abroad when he began playing cricked during his days as a student at University of Oxford, England. Since Imran made all the money while playing as a professional cricketer, there could be no money laundering at any time, the reply concluded.

“The amounts earned abroad for paying the mortgage loan well before its due date were savings from the contract with Sussex, the Kerry Packer cricket series and the benefit year income on which all withholding taxes were deducted. Net payments were made to Imran Khan,” the statement said.

As per the statement presented to the apex court, Imran started earning money abroad when he began playing cricked during his days as a student at University of Oxford, England. Since Imran made all the money while playing as a professional cricketer, there could be no money laundering at any time, the reply concluded.

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