PML-N leaders misused 'Iqama' for money laundering: Babar Awan.

ISLAMABAD -- Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan Wednesday said the top leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had misused the 'Iqama' (work and residential permit) they secured in different countries for money laundering.

Addressing a news conference along with Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi here, he rejected the statement of PML-N leader Maryam Safdar that her father Nawaz Sharif was wrongfully sentenced by the court over an 'Iqama.'

He shared a 'cycle of money-laundering' by the PML-N leaders with the media persons that how the ill-gotten money was sent abroad, deposited in foreign accounts and some of it brought back to country for justifying their assets.

The advisor said the 'Iqamas' were of two types. One was secured by the hardworking community of Pakistanis, the 'pride and asset' of the nation, who sent their hard-earned money to Pakistan called 'remittances'.

The second type that could be called 'Political Iqama' was managed by top position holders like former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, ex-interior minister Ahsan, Iqbal and ex-defence minister Khawaja Asif with an objective to legitimize their corruption and kickbacks in commission, he added.

Highlighting the modus operandi of such politicians, Babar Awan said getting 'Iqamas' they stood eligible for opening of foreign bank accounts abroad and as per the law they could not be questioned about source of the pouring in money in the respective country.

'Iqama holders are not considered Pakistanis, rather they are counted as locals due to having a permanent residency permit of that country.'

He said the 'Political Iqama' holders got ready their fake employment documents/contacts and made bogus companies for money-laundering.

The money accumulated through corruption and kickbacks, he added, were shifted abroad through illegal means and deposited there in the bank accounts. The trails of their bank accounts showed that most of the money was deposited in the form of cash, contrary to the fact that salaries against any 'Iqama' were submitted directly to the employees bank accounts by the employer, not in hard cash.

'This causes flight of capital out of the country and surge in the prices of daily edibles in the country,' he added.

The advisor said the laundered money was brought back to the country to justify their assets and businesses.

He questioned that as to why such top position...