Hassan Nawaz Fined £5.2m for Tax Evasion in UK
The fine imposed on Hassan Nawaz is a significant development in the case, with the UK government's determination to recover the penalty despite his bankruptcy. The case has also brought attention to the Sharif family's financial dealings and allegations of money laundering, with Barrister Saif calling for accountability and transparency.
Hassan Nawaz, son of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has been declared a tax defaulter in the UK and fined £5.2m for failing to pay £9.4m in taxes between 2015-2016, with the British government listing his address as Avenfield House, Park Lane.
The UK's tax authority, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), has imposed the fine on Hassan Nawaz for deliberate tax default, with the period of default identified as April 6, 2015 to April 5, 2016. Despite being declared bankrupt by the UK court in April 2024 over unpaid liabilities, the UK laws do not exempt tax defaulters from penalties, meaning the fine can still be recovered.
Barrister Saif, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Adviser, has accused the Sharif family of financial misconduct, stating that some members are tax evaders. He claimed that the Sharif family's businesses in Pakistan thrive on financial misdeeds, while legitimate investors struggle. The UK's tax authority has published a list of "deliberate tax defaulters" featuring individuals and companies that have made deliberate errors in their tax returns or failed to comply with tax obligations, with penalties ranging from £25,000.
The case has sparked controversy, with Barrister Saif alleging that the Sharif family's assets continue to grow overseas despite ruling Pakistan, and that corrupt figures can never establish national unity. The nation is fed up with the corrupt elite, he claimed. The UK's firm stance on enforcing tax laws regardless of financial status has been highlighted in this case, with the HMRC's policy of publishing details of deliberate defaulters aiming to reduce tax defaulting.