ISLAMABAD, July 14: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders said on Saturday that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in its final report to the Supreme Court of Pakistan failed to accuse Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif of corruption or money laundering even after trying its best. The PML-N leaders said that the Supreme Court had ordered JIT to investigate the London flats, adding that in JIT report there is no mention of money laundering, corruption or tax evasion. They said that the PML-N will fight legal battle over the JIT report and will succeed.
The PML-N leaders were addressing a press conference, where
they read out passages from the JIT final report to emphasise the parts supporting the stance of the Sharif family.
PML-N leader Daniyal Aziz said the report based its findings on the phrase ‘most likely’. The phrases, ‘most likely’ and ‘it seems’, do not suffice to hold the premier responsible, said Aziz.
He said that only one paragraph describes Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s relation to the London flat, which is also not definite as the link has been drawn from an interview. “A short stay in the flat does not denote ownership,” he said. He said a media trial of Maryam Nawaz was carried out for 13 months but the Supreme Court verdict did not mention anything about her. He said that he would humbly request the top court to look into JIT findings. He alleged Wajid Zia, head of the JIT of hiring his cousin’s firm in England because he was ‘giving a discount’.
He said that the government of Sindh has removed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from the province whereas the federally ruling party, he said, was stressed to resign on ‘most likely’ terms.
Daniyal Aziz said that the remarks in the report against the Prime Minister are based on mere speculations instead of proofs. He said the words like most likely and seems have been used to declare Prime Minister Owner of the flats that are not acceptable. He questioned why JIT did not record the statement of the Qatari Prince who was an important and main witness. He said Wajid Zia was the honest officer who was the head of the JIT appointed for the investigation of the Benazir Bhutto murder case. He said there is no offshore company of prime minister and prime minister has never taken even a single penny from any foreign company.
Minister of State for CADD Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that the party would fully pursuit the legal battle on the JIT report in the apex court and would emerge victorious. PML-N leaders claimed that there was no stance of money laundering and tax evasion in JIT report and before demanding PM resignation opponent should read the report.
“PML-N is united under the leadership of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif and will fight the JIT report in apex court,” he said.
Raising questions over the JIT procedure minister said the jurisdiction of JIT was to investigate the ownership of London Flats but it worked beyond its ambit and started investigation against the Sharif family.
He said that JIT could not find even a single example of corruption during the last thirty-five year political career of the Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif when they were holding the public offices. Tariq Fazal said we had raised the objections on the JIT and now will fight legal battle in the Supreme Court. He said the Supreme Court order regarding Chairman SECP and president National Bank of Pakistan has been implemented in letter and spirit. He said the report of the department action would be presented in Supreme Court.-Sabah
