Poverty-ridden Pakistani politicians

ISLAMABAD - Unbelievably absurd yet funny details have come to light from the assets returns filed by the publics elected representatives of the Parliaments Lower House in Election Commission of Pakistan. Majority of the MNAs has not shown even a mentionable chunk of the total wealth they posses. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilanis net assets stand at over Rs194 million. What raises eyebrows, is that a head of state as privileged as Gilani is 'car-less who does not have any vehicle registered in his name. The value of his posh residence in Multan is measured at only Rs6.3 million. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman has one-fifth share in a house in Dera Ismail Khan that values only one hundred thousand rupees. His another house in the same city values Rs2 million while 5 kanals of land in the same area belonging to JUI chief worth only five hundred thousand rupees. Fazl-ur-Rehmans brother Atta-ur-Rehman has one-fifth share in the same aforesaid house that values a hundred thousand rupees. ANP chief Asfandyar Wali owns a 1988 model 'outdated vehicle worth Rs500,000. The market value of his inherited residential house is only Rs4 million. The PPPs Noor Alam Khan is the richest MNA with his net assets worth over Rs3.52 billion while his party colleague Jamshed Dasti is the 'poorest parliamentarian with no movable or immovable property registered in his name. All he has is a salaried bank account with unspecified amount in it. The PML-Qs Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi uses an expensive jeep worth over Rs26 million and his total assets stand at Rs179 million. Engineer Amir Maqam from the same party has 17 vehicles that cost Rs26 million. Interestingly, the PML-N MNA Hanif Abbassis assets and liabilities provide the same numerical figure. His net assets stand at Rs19,861,200 that is equivalent to his liabilities, which means that the parliamentarian is 'penniless The National Assemblys Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi has 23 kanals of agricultural land in DI Khan but it values only five hundred thousand rupees. The PML-Q likeminded MNA Kashmala Tariq has 200 tolas of gold that value over 52 million but unfortunately, the market value of this gold does not exceed Rs8 million. In the huge brigade of 'car-less MNAs line up Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, Nazar Muhammad Gondal, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Marvi Memon, Fauzia Wahab and a host of 'elected public representatives who otherwise travel in the most expensive luxurious vehicles. The PML-N MNA Khawaja Saad Rafique is under 'debt of Rs40 million while Federal Minister Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo is liable to pay bank loans of Rs19.50 million. Foreign Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar owns a plot in a posh housing society in Islamabad that worth only Rs1.4 million. The PPPs former federal minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi is allotted a residence in Lahore that values only Rs700,000. MQMs Dr Farooq Sattar has a 2007 model Toyota Corolla vehicle that does not cost more than Rs500,000. Shakeel Awan from PML-N posses a 10-marla plot in a posh housing society in Rawat (Islamabad) but quite amazingly, the plot does not value more than one hundred thousand rupees.

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