Islamabad (July 01, 2017): PM’s cousin Tariq Shafi on Sunday said that he informed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) about the establishment of Gulf Steel and the proceeds used for the purpose.
He was talking to media persons after his appearance before the Panama JIT where he was questioned for almost three hours.
I answered all the questions asked by the JIT members, he said.
They inquired about Gulf Steel and the source of funds, Shafi added. ‘I did not provide any documents today. The JIT didn’t ask me to appear again.’
Earlier, the premier’s cousin was driven to the JIT secretariat — the Federal Judicial Academy — by State Water and Power Minister Abid Sher Ali, who is also reportedly related to the premier.
The JIT, formed by the Supreme Court, has prepared questionnaires for Tariq Shafi and three children of the prime minister — Maryam Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz — who would appear before the probe body in next few days.
The sources said the JIT held its meeting on Saturday in which the members reviewed documents provided by the witnesses and prepared questionnaires for all those who would appear and record their statements before the JIT.
After first appearance in May, Shafi accused the members of probe body of harassment and filed a formal complaint with JIT Chief Wajid Zia. In the letter, Shafi’s lawyer has stated that a JIT member threatened his client with serious consequences if he didn’t withdraw the affidavit submitted by him in the Supreme Court.
During the hearing of the Panama Papers case, he submitted two affidavits in the apex court — on Nov 12, 2016 and Jan 20, 2017 — confirming receipt of 12 million Dirhams as sale proceeds of the remaining shares of Mian Sharif’s factory in Dubai and delivery of the said amount in cash in installments to Fahad Bin Jassim of Qatar (elder brother of Hamad Bin Jassim). This money later became the source of funds for acquisition of the four Park Lane properties in London, the Supreme Court was told earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the premier’s son Hasan Nawaz has been summoned by the JIT on July 3 and his elder brother, Hussain Nawaz, on July 4. Moreover, the premier’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz, is scheduled to appear before the investigators on July 5.
The summons also asked the respondents to bring forth relevant documents related to the Sharif family’s financial assets.
The JIT, formed on May 5 in light of the Supreme Court’s April 20 judgment in the Panama Papers case, was given 60 days to complete its probe.
However, since the original deadline was falling on a Friday, and with the JIT taking a day off on Eid, July 10 has been decided as the deadline for the JIT to submit its final report to the court’s special implementation bench.
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