Justice Isa’s wife appears before FBR, submits details of assets

The wife of Justice Qazi Faez Isa appeared before the Federal Board of Revenue on Thursday to submit the money trail and relevant record of the assets after the presidential reference against her husband was quashed, sources said.

In light of the Supreme Court verdict in the case, whereby the matter was forwarded to FBR, the office of Commissioner Inland Revenue and International Taxes Zone served notices to Zarina Isa (wife), Sehar Isa (daughter) and Arsalan Isa (son) last week.

Zarina appeared in person before the commissioner in Islamabad today, where she was asked more than 20 questions pertaining to the family’s London properties.

Commissioner Directorate of International Taxes AEOI Zone Islamabad Zulfiqar Ahmed and his team questioned the judge’s wife, where she said that all the answers are present in written form, sources said.

Zarina said that she will be the responding authority in relation to the three properties in London, adding that her son and daughter both live abroad.

After the judge’s wife submitted the details, documents and record to the FBR, the authority said that it will review the material and will then decide either to send a notice or a questionnaire to her.

In her response to the queries, she said that the money for the properties was sent abroad through a legal banking channel.

Details of records submitted

According to sources, Zarina submitted a record of her salaries earned during her employment at the Karachi American School.

She also provided details of the properties sold and bought in Karachi, including the taxes paid to the government on these assets.

Sources further said that she mentioned the agricultural land gifted by her father.

Not only that, the judge’s wife also submitted a money trail detailing the amount of dollars and pounds in bank accounts.

Through her account in Standard Chartered, she said she sent 700,000 British pounds and that she has all the transaction details from the central bank.

Zarina also told the authorities that her husband does not have any link to her London properties, sources said, adding that she also stated that she declared the three London properties in tax returns filed last year.

SC dismisses presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa

The Supreme Judicial Council had initiated proceedings over Justice Isa's alleged non-disclosure in wealth returns of three London properties acquired on lease in the name of his wife and children between 2011 and 2015. After a series of hearings, the apex court eventually dismissed the reference against the judge.

In a majority verdict, the presidential reference was quashed by the apex court as it has "no legal affect".

Moreover, the show cause notice issued for "writing letters to President Arif Alvi" was withdrawn under the SC verdict.

The apex court had asked the judge’s wife and children to respond with explanation of nature and sources of funds used to acquire properties.