ISLAMABAD: The five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamalai has adjourned the hearing of the Panama Leaks case till November 17 after the counsel of Pakistan Tehreek Insaf Hamid Khan asked the court for granting more time.
Meanwhile, rebuttals of prime minister and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were submitted in the court which enquired about prime minister’s sons Hassan and Hussain not submitting their reply. When Akram Shaikh told the court that their replies have been submitted Justice Azmat said that the court has not yet received it.
While hearing the case Justice Khosa told the prime minister’s lawyer that his statement and prime minister’s public statements seem to differ. Prime Minister had stated in the parliament he set up a mill in Dubai with whatever money he was left with which was sold to set-up a mill in Azizia.
Justice Khosa’s comments came after the counsel of prime minister’c children Akram Shaikh said that after the then government privatized Mian Sharif’s six industrial units in 1972 MianSharif arrived in Dubai after losing whatever he had and established a steel mill there without any investment from Pakistan. Shaikh Rashidul Makhtoom provided the capital for the steel mill and 75 percent shares of the mill was given to Alhali Group. Mian Sharif sold another 20 percentshares of the mill in 1980, he further said.
At one point the Chief Justice said that the court wants to decide the case at the earliest.
Akram Shaikh denied transfer of any money from Pakistan.
The Chief Justice said that the court will make the decision about whether to form the enquiry commission to probe Panama leaks case after reviewing all the documents.
The court rejected plea for the inclusion of Pervez Musharraf in the case.
During the hearing Justice Shaikh Azmat Saeed expressing anger at PTI’s counsel for submitting documents that included newspapers cuttings saying why the time of the court was wasted by submitting fairy stories. Newspaper’s life is a mere one day, the next day its being used for wrapping pakoras, give us documents to move the issue forward, an angered Justice Shaikh Azmat Saeed added.
Akram Shaikh sought permission from the court to submit certain documents from Qatari Foreign Minister Hamr bin Jassim over which Justice Khosa asked if the Qatri Foreign Minister will appear before the court if it calls him as a witness? Talking to Akram Shaikh Justice Khosa asked him if he wanted to inform the court that these properties were given to Akram’s clients as gifts?
Federal Minister Khawaja Asif, chairman PTI Imran Khan, Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq, and chief of Awami Muslim League were also present in the court.
Khawaja Asif and Shaikh Rashid talked to the media outside the court after the hearing while Imran Khan and other party leaders left for Imran’s residence in Banigala with Imran saying that he would talk to the media there.
