- SC decides to conduct Panamagate hearing on daily basis
- SC expresses anger over politicians speaking with media on its premises, asks political leaders not to make court a ‘political battleground’
- Says from where Sharif family got money to invest in Dubai steel mill
- Says no record presented in the court to show that Al Thani family used to own the flats
- SC hints at tracing any misuse of public office by Nawaz
ISLAMABAD, January 4: While conducting fresh hearing of the Panama Papers case, a five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court has asked key questions from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer on Wednesday.
The apex court asked the defense lawyer to tell exact date regarding Nawaz Sharif’s appointment as the minister of finance, his selection as Punjab chief minister, appointment as the prime minister and date of his exile.
The bench hinted at tracing any misuse of public office by Nawaz Sharif. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa stated that the prime minister had claimed in his speech that in 1972 the then government had nationalised the Ittefaq Foundry without giving (his family) a single penny, but where did he get money from to invest in Dubai steel mill.
Justice Khosa observed that an attested letter from Qatari prince, presented in the apex court in November, states that the London flats were owned by the Al Thani family before the Sharif family bought them, however, no record had been presented in the court to show that the Al Thani family used to own the flats.
He said three stances have been presented regarding Dubai and Qatar investments. First states that investment was moved from Dubai to Qatar. Second maintains that money was sent from Dubai to Jeddah, whereas, third statement reveals that investment was shifted from Qatar to London. Justice Khosa rhetorically asked, “Was the investment [in the flats] so profitable that from 1980 till 2006, it has generated billions?” While presenting his argument, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) lawyer Naeem Bokhari told court that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had misguided lawmakers through his speech in the National Assembly. Earlier today, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked that there won’t be any delay in Panama case and nothing will go unheard. He decided to conduct hearing of the case on daily basis. Moreover, the court expressed anger over politicians speaking with the media on its premises and asked political leaders not to make the Supreme Court a ‘political battleground’. -DNA
