Panama Papers JIT to brief Supreme Court on probe progress tomorrow

A three-member special bench of the Supreme Court overseeing the implementation of the Panama Papers verdict will on Wednesday review the 15-day performance of a six-member joint investigation team (JIT) probing the prime minister’s family.

The proceedings of the JIT set up to examine the business dealings of the Sharif family abroad is being monitored by the apex court on a fortnightly basis.

The team will submit its second progress report to the special implementation bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan.

The JIT is likely to apprise the court about the statements recorded by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz regarding their explanations for the money trail of the Sharifs’ London properties during their appearances before the team last week.

Since May 28, the PM’s elder son, Hussain Nawaz, has appea­red four times before the JIT, while his brother Hassan Nawaz appeared for the first time last Friday.

The JIT is also likely to inform the court about the summonses issued to various persons to appear before it and the letter written by Qatar’s former prime minister, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, in response to the JIT’s letter to him.

PM forms committee to probe Hashmi

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has formed a committee to investigate Senator Nehal Hashmi over his incendiary remarks against “those investigating” the premier’s family, DawnNews reported.

The convener of the five-member ‘national ethics and disciplinary committee of PML-N’ will be Raja Zafarul Haq.

Other members of the committee are Barrister Zafarullah Khan, PML-N Senator Nuzhat Sadiq and PM’s Special Assistants Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed and Dr Asif Kirmani.

The committee will forward its recommendations to the prime minister after probing Hashmi within five days.

The Supreme Court had initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against Hashmi for his uncharitable remarks, where he appeared to threaten members of the JIT and the judiciary for probing allegations against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

Source: Dawn