Aleema Khan owns property in New Jersey, US

ISLAMABAD: Aleema Khan, the sister of Prime Minister Imran Khan, owns Rs260 million worth of property in the heart of US state of New Jersey. The property, with the address 154 Sixth Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, was bought in 2004 and is still owned by her.

The deed of the property read that it was bought for $0.758 million on August 5, 2004 with the Book 7355 having residential class. The original Book Deed of Property, exclusively obtained by this correspondent, revealed that Aleema Khan bought this property in 2004 with a 25% partnership of her friend Samina Sultana in the United States. The property was purchased from Keith Prebola who bought this property in 1999, revealed the 36-page Property Book. She had not disclosed it to the tax authorities till November 12, 2017. Lorraine Senerchia, Deputy Register Hudson County New Jersey, confirmed the status of the said property to Geo News. Aleema Khan neither responded to Geo News questionnaire nor her husband Sohail Ameer Khan commented on this important development.

About the issue of disclosure of this property, Revenue Minister Hammad Azhar told Geo News that the property was declared but it was not explained when it was declared. “I’m not in Pakistan currently. I will ask someone to check her records but as far as sharing that info is concerned, I will have to check the tax payer's confidentiality law for that since it prohibits FBR from sharing data. Some separate rules apply on public office holders. Let me check the records and law relating to data sharing first. [I] will have to check the law before disclosing any further details about the tax payer. Although her offshore assets case was probed by the Supreme Court. You may find that information in the reported proceedings of that case. Yes, I am specifically talking about the above-mentioned property too. Why don’t you [Geo News] study the SC case? You might get all the answers from there. You want me to share details of a taxpayer illegally? Because SC took up only her “Lofts East 1406 Dubai property” and rest of her properties were not taken up,” he said.

Azhar, however, dodged the question when asked about the specific year Aleema Khan bought this overseas asset in New Jersey, saying that the apex court was already taking up the issue. About the fine for not disclosing the said property earlier, he said, "It is declared as per law."

Samina Sultana, a partner in this property, told Geo News that she would not comment on this development as she was not on good terms with Aleema Khan. She neither confirmed nor denied about the said property, saying that she left it all in 2007-08 and her lawyers are dealing with the matter.