Panama case: SC takes JIT report, PML-N submits objections

The hearing of Panama Leaks case post JIT report submission started in Supreme Court today.

Three-member judge bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan accompanied by Justice Saeed Ahmad Sheikh and Justice Ijazul Hassan is hearing the case.

During the course of proceedings, Justice Hassan remarked that the bench is not bound to accept JIT findings.

The members said that they will go through Volume 10 of the JIT report if necessary.

The ruling party Pakistan Mulsim League-Nawaz (PML-N) filed its objections in front of the apex court.

The JIT crossed its mandate and worked in biased manner, PML-N argued. Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar submitted the objections.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Naeem Bukhari started his arguments.

Bukhari told the court that JIT wrote to Qatari Prince for four times but he refused to accept Pakistani laws and appeared before the team. “PM did not mentioned the prince in his speech in National Assembly,” Bukhari added.

“Prince also raised questions on jurisdiction of Supreme Court of Pakistan,” he mentioned.

The PTI legal representative further argued that no objection can be raised on JIT report. “This is now between Supreme Court and JIT,” he said.

Bukhari also mentioned the testimony of Nawaz Sharif’s cousin, Tariq Shafi in front of the JIT. He also argued that Hassan and Hussain Nawaz remained unable provide money trail of London flats.

He requested the apex court to order for Nawaz Sharif to be produced before the bench.

The bench adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.

Talking to media, State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will stay in power and continue running the government affairs.

“Nawaz is to stay in power and continue journey of Pakistan’s development,” he said .

“The JIT report carries no weight and it has based its report on certain evidences that are beyond facts.”

MNA Daniyal Aziz said the report is based on speculations and probabilities and actual facts were ignored in the JIT investigation.

“Judges have raised questions about verification of documents that mostly consist of just cuttings of newspapers and trash,” he added.

Earlier, PML-N sources informed The Nation that the legal strategy of the government was being kept secret and was only known to the legal team being led by Khawaja Haris advocate and assisted by Law Minister Zahid Hamid, Barrister Zafarullah and Anoosha Rehman.

Party sources said they did not know the defence line of government’s legal team, but one thing they were sure of was that unwarranted sharing of things with media would be avoided as the leadership believed that most of the troubles they were facing were due to excessive media interaction by the ruling family members in the past.

But some government sources said the defence would seek time for filing of reply on JIT report. They could point out flaws and lacunae in the JIT report and even pray to the court for hearing their objections before further proceeding on the Panama Papers case.

Source: The Nation