Panama verdict: ‘I didn’t call PM liar,’ says SC judge

Supreme Court’s Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan has made these remarks today that he has not called Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a liar in the verdict of Panama Leaks case.

Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan is part of the three-member special bench—alongside Justice Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan—tasked with ensuring the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict and monitor the working of the joint investigation team.

During proceedings regarding the JIT’s formation today, Justice Ejaz Afzal expressed displeasure over statements by politicians, saying a political party leader lied and misled people by giving the impression that all five judges had called the prime minister a liar in the verdict.

“If judges are misattributed or misquoted again, the person concerned would be brought in court,” he warned.

On the other hand, the chairperson of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and deputy governor of the State Bank were also present at the hearing, where Justice Azmat Saeed told them why they rejected the names suggested for members of the JIT.

The judge told the officials that negative reports had surfaced regarding the financial standing, political affiliation, and integrity of the people they had suggested for the investigation team.

He was annoyed that names of the people were leaked by the concerned departments before a decision on them was taken in court. “The department heads are responsible for this,” he said.

However, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan said directives for the formation of the Joint Investigation Team on the Panama Papers case would be issued today.

The names of the investigation team are expected to be decided in a few hours.

Source: The Nation