ISLAMABAD - A businessman of livestock Syed Fazli Qayum on Saturday filed an application in the Supreme Court accusing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of committing money laundering of billions of rupees through livestock’s gifts to the royal families of United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

“Two to three thousands live animals are exported as a gift on a single NOC. These animals are not sent to Saudi Arabia but are sold in the commercial markets of the Gulf States. In these gifts, black money is paid for buying of these live animals and when these animals are exported and commercially sold in UAE and Gulf States, laundered money is paid in offshore accounts,” it added.

The applicant requested the top court to implead him as a party in the matter regarding money laundering of billions of rupees through fake bank accounts wherein Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur are also named while his closed aide Anwar Majeed, owner of Omni Group, is considered to be main accused. 

The application filed by Advocate Khwaja Azhar Rasheed on behalf of the businessman stated that the gifts in shape of livestock were used to launder the money whereas it also caused a total loss to the tune of Rs6.102 billion to the exchequer.

The respondents in the application are deposed Nawaz Sharif, his ex-secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad and Deputy Chief of Protocol Naeem Iqbal Cheema, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of National Food Security and Research (Livestock Wing), FBR and Director of Animal Quarantine Department as respondents.

“The applicant is concerned of Pakistani money laundered through export of live animals in the garb of gift schemes to the Gulf States and Saudi Arabia, whereas a strict ban has been imposeda by the government on the export of live animals in any form since the year 2013,” the application stated.

In pursuance of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1950 (XXXIX of 1950), the Federal Government used to issue the Export Policy Orders after every three years.

The Export of live animals in any form whether commercial, sample, gift or donation was banned under Export Policy order 2013 and 2016, on the ground of shortage of live animals in the local market, it added.

The application claimed that 2500 cattle to the tune of USD2.5 million were sent from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia to member of a Royal family in September 2017.

It further claimed that around 1100 camels were sent as a gift to the tune of USD3.3 million to UAE and Kuwait on different dates.

The applicant further claimed that more than 5000 goats and sheep to the tune of around USD 1.1 million were sent to UAE and Kuwait while at least 700 cows and bulls to the tune of USD0.7 million for royal family of UAE adding that 50 buffaloes were sent for UAE’s royal family costing USD0.12 million.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ministry of Commerce as well as Ministry of National Food Security & Research has no mandate to issue NOC for export of banned items as gifts, the applicant stated adding that the gifts of livestock is void ab initio being a banned item under Export Policy order since 2013.

It further stated that there are two pre-requisites for gift parcels under Export Policy Orders; one the gift parcel is not a banned or restricted item and secondly is of a value not exceeding five thousand US Dollars or equivalent to Pak. Rupees.

“Despite being a banned item, the livestock was exported, by the previous government, as a gift parcel for money laundering,” it said adding that there is no head provided in the budget for making such gifts.

These gifts have deprived Pakistan of the local livestock, precious foreign exchange, customs duties and taxes. A huge amount of ill gotten wealth is laundered under these Gift Schemes every year. Such contraptions are used for encouraging corruption in the country.

The applicant prayed the top court to declare the gift schemes of live animals as void being totally against law and in contravention of Export Policy Order 2013 and 2016.

It is further prayed for directions of production of all record concerning export of live animals in the garb of gift schemes.

“All those found involve are proceeded against and the money laundered is recovered from them,” it is further prayed.