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SC adjourns hearing of Panamagate case; seeks details of distribution of Sharif family’s assets

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of Panamagate case till tomorrow.

The five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Justice Khosa sought details of distributions of Sharif family’s assets after the death of Mian Muhammad Sharif, besides the transcript of an interview of Maryam Nawaz with a private TV channel.

Maryam Nawaz’s counsel Shahid Hamid continued with his arguments in the case.

At the outset of the hearing, Maryam’s counsel Shahid Hamid told the bench that Maryam Nawaz had submitted reply in the country which was signed by him (Hamid) as her client had authorized him.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed inquired from Hamid as what happened to the Sharif family’s assets after Mian Shairf’s death. To which the counsel replied that there was no dispute in the family about the distribution of assets.

Maryam’s counsel submitted before the bench that his client owned no property outside the country. He added that London flats were owned by his client’s brother. He added that the petitioners were insistently claiming that her client was the owners of the flats, adding that her client was also being accused of being dependent on his father.  The counsel added that her client was not dependent on his father and she was being dragged just to drag in her father in the case.

The counsel aminatined that her client was an ordinary citizen of the country, wondering how the matter become of public interest issue. Upon this, Justuice Ejazul Hassan remarked that the issue was of public importance confined to only Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the case, while Justice Gulzar Ahmed told the counsel that none of the petitioners had sought verdict against her client.

The counsel argued that his client was not dependent of his father so if he even owned the London flats it would make no difference. Upon this Justice Ejazul Hassan remarked that Maryam was accused of being front man of her father. Hamid replied that it was to be established by the petitioners.

Justice Azmat Saeed inquired the counsel that Captain (redt) Safdar had not submitted tax return in 2011 and what would be the consequence of non-submission of the return.  To this Hamid said that before 2011, tax was deducted from the salary of Safdar.

Shahid Hamid stated that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf submitted forged documents to establish that the premier’s daughter is the beneficial owner of London flats. The signatures do not match, he upheld.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan, however, observed that forgery is a question of fact. He said there are two aspects to the issue, one being Maryam’s dependency on her father and second that she acted as the “front man” for PM Nawaz and all properties belong to him.

Another member of the bench, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, observed that whether or not Maryam is dependent on PM Nawaz is a disputed question, thus the top court cannot adjudicate the matter as it requires recording of evidences.

Meanwhile, Hamid submitted that a similar matter is pending in the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Later, the case was adjourned till tomorrow.

It is to be mentioned here that JI lawyer Taufiq Asif,  Prime Minister’s lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Naeem Bukhari and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid have already completed their arguments.