Panamagate: Pak SC asks Sharif to prove money trail
Pakistan Supreme Court on Tuesday said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family will have to prove the money trail either “here or in trial court” while hearing the Panamagate case.
“We have been waiting for the money trail and the sources of income (to be revealed) since day one,” Justice Ejaz Afzal said on the second day of Panama Leaks case hearing. A bench, comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, said that the matter could have been resolved by showing assets and resources. But, Justice Ijazul Ahsan added, the Sharif family adopted the approach not to tell anything to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that was tasked to inspect every available record.
Presenting arguments against the JIT report, Sharif family lawyer Khawaja Harris said that the JIT had overstepped its mandate. It was allowed to find answers to only 13 questions, but it included two more queries on its own, Mr Harris said.
“No probe can be carried out on the report as
JIT didn’t collect evidence through legal source,” he continued.
“If you have objections to the JIT’s report, then you also have to present evidence against it,” Justice Azmat Saeed told the lawyer.
The court said that the case was forwarded to JIT due to unsatisfactory arguments of Sharif family. The JIT, it said, was formed so that the PM and other parties in the case could give their testimonies with complete freedom, and have the opportunity to come clean. “We thought everyone would present their positions,” said Justice Ahsan.
Justice Azmat Saeed remarked that the Sharif family had been given the chance to present its stance before JIT regarding London flats and added that PM Sharif did not even recognise his uncle during his JIT appearance.
PM Sharif refused to recognise his own uncle (khaloo) during the interview, and identified him after two and half hours of questioning.
Mr Harris maintained that the Prime Minister was detached from all family businesses and did not participate in the family’s property distribution in 2007. The PM was involved in the business only until 1985, he said, adding that if there were any assets other than the ones declared in the PM’s tax returns, he (the PM) would answer all questions regarding them.
“The Sharif family is very close, the whole family knew everything,” retorted Justice Ejaz Afzal. “The PM often visited the London flats, yet he did not know who they belonged to?” he asked. The court asked about the bank account of PM Sharif in Saudi Arabia to which Mr Harris said: “He has one account and the details of premier’s assets have already been submitted in the court.”