KARACHI: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s spokesman has issued a clarification about the price of Bilawal House declared by PPP chairman in his asset details.

Reacting to reports concerning Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s asset details, Spokesman to the Chairman, Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, has said that: “We have noticed that a lot is being said regarding Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s asset details. The PPP would like to clarify a few things.

“Chairman PPP submitted income tax returns for the last three years with all his nomination papers. All properties and businesses that have been declared by Mr Chairman were inherited from his family.

“As for those questioning how Bilawal House Karachi is worth Rs3 million, it should be mentioned that Section 116 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, says: ‘All assets [whether purchased or inherited] should be valued at cost’. PPP Chairman inherited Bilawal House Karachi in early nineties and at that time, it was valued at Rs 3 million”.

Senator Khokhar has also said that “around 70 candidates are contesting against Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in all three constituencies that he is contesting from. Copies of his nomination papers were taken by all other contesting candidates – including those from the PTI, JUI, MQM, PML-N, MMA, etc., and none of them raised any legal objections whatsoever.

PPP Chairman has followed the law in letter and spirit while filing his nomination papers. We respect the law of the land and believe in transparency”.