Panama Papers case: Pak SC asks Sharif family to produce documentary evidence

PAKISTAN’S SUPREME COURT Wednesday asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family to produce documentary evidence to establish ownership of flats in London that are under the scanner following the Panama Papers leak.

The apex court after a hiatus of two weeks resumed hearing of the high-profile Panama Papers case involving Prime Minister Sharif and his children.

The case is about alleged illegal money laundering by Sharif in 1990s when he twice served as Prime Minister to purchase assets in London. The assets surfaced when Panama Papers showed that they were managed through offshore companies owned by Sharif’s children.

The five-member bench hearing the case asked the Sharif family to produce documentary evidence to establish Prime Minister’s son Hussain Nawaz as beneficial owner of Park Lane flats in London, in accordance with the family’s claim.

“Where is the document which could show Hussain Nawaz is the beneficial owner of London flats?” Justice Azmat Saeed Shaikh asked Sharif family’s counsel Salman Akram Raja.

The Express Tribune reported that the top court judge also asked the Sharifs’ counsel to provide the family’s agreement with Minerva Services Limited, a company which the Premier’s family claims is a service provider to Nielsen and Nescoll offshore companies owned by his son.

“Let’s call a spade a spade and show us relevant documents that could reveal who gave payment to service company (Minerva),” Justice Azmat said. PTI

Case concerns charges of money laundering.