The Hindu : International : Pakistan sells ``Bhutto's property''

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 19, 2004

International

International

Pakistan sells ``Bhutto's property''

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JULY 18. The Rockwood Estate, known as the Surrey Palace in Britain and allegedly owned by the PPP chairperson, Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Ali Zardari has been sold by the Pakistan Government for over £4.3 million.

A spokesman of the Pakistan Government said in a statement that the sale was effected by a liquidator of a number of Isle of Man Trust companies created to disguise the true identity of the owners of the property.

He said the liquidator was acting with the authority of the Pakistan Government which, according to him, claimed the net proceeds of the sale on behalf of the people of Pakistan. The statement said the liquidator accepted the claim.

"It is widely believed that the true owners of the Rockwood Estate, popularly known as the Surrey Palace, were former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Ali Zardari," the spokesman said.

However a PPP spokesman, Farhatullah Khan Babar, rejected the charge that Ms. Bhutto owned the property.

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