KARACHI - Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has decided to file a reference against Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) President Asif Ali Zardari for ‘concealing’ his apartment in United States in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday.

It is pertinent to mention here that Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday accused Asif Ali Zardari of failing to mention an apartment that he allegedly owns in the United States in a declaration submitted to the ECP.

The petition will be filed by PTI Karachi Chief and provincial lawmaker Khurram Sher Zaman along with other party leaders at the ECP Sindh office today.  “I have received directives from the party leadership to file a reference against Asif Zardari in the ECP for concealing his assets,” said the lawmaker and added that they would file the application on Thursday for violating Article 62 (1) (f) of the constitution for concealing assets.  We will be accompanied by the party MNAs and MPAs who would meet the ECP officials and submit the records of the property documents owned by Asif Ali Zardari in United States that we have received, he said.

Zaman said that they are not against anyone instead they are against the corrupt practices and those who had plundered the nation’s wealth.  “The ECP should investigate the facts that we will provide them on Thursday and if it is correct then de seat the lawmaker or otherwise clear him of the charges,” he said.

Responding to the PTI’s announcement, PPPP leader and provincial minister Nasir Hussain Shah said that Asif Zardari had not concealed any assets and if anybody has proof then he should table it at relevant forum. “We will face such things at every forum legally,” he said.

Declaring federal minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry as liar, the provincial minister said that Zardari had declared all his assets and such actions from the incumbent government are aimed at politically victimizing opponents.

“Why no action is taken against the PTI leaders facing corruption cases,” he said and further informed that NAB list contains 38 names from PTI involved in corrupt practices.