ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday declared all petitions filed to investigate Panama Papers maintainable and announced to form a one-member Commission with full powers to probe the issue.
A five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and comprising Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Hassan resumed hearing of petitions regarding Panama Papers in Islamabad on Thursday.
The prime minister’s lawyer Salman Aslam Butt submitted written reply from Nawaz Sharif according to which, neither the prime minister had offshore company nor his name was included in Panama papers. He said that he didn’t own any flat in London.
Nawaz Sharif maintained that he was a regular taxpayer and that none of his children was dependent on him. He said that he had declared all his assets in 2013, so he was not liable for disqualification under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.
TThe prime minster said that record of his property was available with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
However, the Court expressed anger over not filing of answers by Maryam Nawaz, Captain Safdar, Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz related to Panama Papers and asked them to submit their replies on November 7. The Court said that they were given 15-day time to submit their answers but yet they didn’t.
Justice Azmat Saeed said that if answers were not submitted as per law, then all allegations would be considered legitimate.
In his remarks, the Chief Justice said that an order would be issued today to constitute one member investigation commission. He said that the Commission would be fully independent and comprised of a Supreme Court judge.
The Chief Justice said that they wanted to dispose off the Panama Case soon.
Justice Jamali also asked all parties to submit their suggestions regarding the Panama Commission.
The Chief Justice questioned if parties had objections over the hearing held under article 184/3.
Later, the hearing was adjourned till Monday.
Talking to media outside the Supreme Court, the PTI Chief Imran Khan said that he was happed to come to the Court today.
Imran Khan said that the Attorney General could not fight the case of Sharif family, adding that they would raise objection over the matter.
The Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said while talking to media that they had submitted reply of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Supreme Court. He said that all parties should have trusted in the court.
“We will accept every decision of the Court,” Khawaja Asif said.
The Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said that he advised Imran Khan to remain peaceful and let others do their duties. He said that political differences didn’t not mean that we could not give advice to others.
Saad Rafique said that Imran Khan should have returned to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that decisions would be made by public votes.
