The financial dealings of Hasan Nawaz, son of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, have once again come under intense scrutiny. Nearly a year after being declared bankrupt by the UK High Court, Hasan has now been named on the UK government’s list of “deliberate tax defaulters.” According to the UK’s tax authorities, Hasan Nawaz defaulted on his tax obligations for the period between April 6, 2015, and April 5, 2016, accumulating a staggering unpaid tax bill of £9.3 million. To make matters worse, he has also been slapped with a penalty of £5.2 million, bringing the total owed to over £14.5 million.
This latest revelation adds yet another layer to the controversy surrounding the financial affairs of the Sharif family, whose vast overseas wealth has long been questioned. The UK government’s ‘Publishing Details of Deliberate Defaulters’ (PDDD) policy is designed to expose individuals and businesses that intentionally avoid paying taxes, with names only making the list if the unpaid amount exceeds £25,000. Hasan Nawaz, owing millions, fits that criteria by a mile.
Hasan’s financial troubles have been in the public eye for years. In April 2024, the UK’s High Court of Justice officially declared him bankrupt, a move that fueled speculation about his financial standing and whether he was shielding assets from legal scrutiny.
The controversy surrounding Hasan Nawaz is not just about personal financial mismanagement but rather the broader allegations of financial irregularities linked to the Sharif family. Their offshore assets, particularly expensive properties in London’s upscale Mayfair district, have long been a subject of debate. These properties, famously revealed in the Panama Papers scandal, became a major sticking point in the 2017 corruption case that led to the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as Pakistan’s Prime Minister.
Despite the damning evidence, the Sharif family has consistently denied any wrongdoing. They have repeatedly distanced themselves from large-scale investments and foreign properties, arguing that they have no links to shady financial dealings. However, their explanations have often failed to convince critics and legal authorities. The latest tax default scandal surrounding Hasan Nawaz only reinforces the perception that the family’s wealth is entangled in financial irregularities.
One of the biggest controversies tied to the Sharif family’s financial dealings involves the National Crime Agency’s (NCA) landmark £190 million settlement with Pakistani real estate tycoon Malik Riaz in 2019. The NCA seized the money from Riaz’s UK accounts in an unexplained wealth case, but the settlement agreement allowed the funds to be repatriated to Pakistan. However, instead of being deposited into Pakistan’s national exchequer, the money reportedly ended up paying off a settlement deal involving Bahria Town Karachi, a massive real estate project owned by Malik Riaz. This raised serious concerns about whether the Sharif family, through its political influence, had helped orchestrate the return of these funds to benefit its allies.
Hasan Nawaz’s name appearing on the UK’s list of tax defaulters only fuels further speculation about the legitimacy of his financial dealings. How does a man, whose family has ruled Pakistan multiple times, amass properties worth millions in the UK while simultaneously failing to meet his tax obligations? This contradiction highlights the opacity surrounding the Sharif family’s financial empire and strengthens claims that their wealth is built on questionable foundations.
Despite these serious allegations, the Sharif family and its supporters have always framed such controversies as politically motivated attacks. They argue that the family has been unfairly targeted by rivals who use corruption accusations as a means to weaken their political influence. Their narrative is that the financial investigations against them, whether in Pakistan or abroad, are part of a broader campaign to malign their reputation.
However, the facts paint a different picture. Hasan Nawaz’s name appearing on the UK’s tax defaulters list is not the result of political vendettas but rather an independent investigation by British tax authorities. The UK government has a stringent system for exposing tax evaders, and the inclusion of Hasan’s name indicates that he has indeed defaulted on substantial tax liabilities. Moreover, his earlier bankruptcy declaration only adds to the perception that he is struggling to manage his financial affairs, despite his family’s history of immense wealth.
The implications of this latest revelation go beyond just Hasan Nawaz. It raises broader questions about accountability, transparency, and how political dynasties amass wealth abroad while maintaining a grip on power back home. The Pakistani public has long been fed the narrative that their leaders are champions of democracy and development, yet time and again, evidence emerges of financial misconduct and unexplained wealth.
For the UK authorities, this case is yet another example of how wealthy foreign individuals, including politically exposed persons, often evade tax obligations while maintaining a luxurious lifestyle in Britain. It also highlights the need for stronger enforcement mechanisms to ensure that individuals who accumulate vast assets pay their fair share.
Hasan Nawaz’s financial troubles are unlikely to end with this tax default listing. With mounting scrutiny over his financial dealings and a bankruptcy declaration still fresh, questions will continue to swirl around the legitimacy of his assets. Meanwhile, the Sharif family’s attempts to distance themselves from the controversy will face increasing skepticism as more evidence of financial discrepancies comes to light.
For now, Hasan Nawaz remains yet another name in the long list of political figures who have found themselves entangled in financial scandals. Whether this latest revelation leads to any tangible consequences remains to be seen, but what is clear is that the scrutiny over the Sharif family’s wealth is far from over.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Coverpage’s editorial stance.
