Islamabad (June 15, 2017): The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned hearing of the Panama implementation case till Monday.
The three-member special implementation bench of the apex court resumed hearing of JIT’s application regarding obstacles hindering its investigation into Sharif family’s offshore holdings.
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Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf appeared before the bench.
As the Prime Minister is appearing before the joint investigation team (JIT) today for recording his statement, the JIT had requested the SC they can not appear before the court for hearing due to their engagement in investigation from the PM.
The bench adjourned hearing of the case till next Monday on the request of the JIT.
It is to be mentioned here that the government departments, blamed by the joint investigation team (JIT) for allegedly obstructing their probe into allegations against the Sharif family, were to submit their replies to the Supreme Court today.
A number of replies were submitted to the attorney general’s (AG) office by different organisations, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the law ministry, and these replies were to be submitted formally before the Supreme Court today.
The Supreme Court implementation bench had asked the AG to look into the JIT’s application, highlighting impediments in their work and tampering of documents by state institutions. The court had asked AG to address the JIT’s concerns and also suggest remedial measures.
In its application, the JIT had alleged that the SECP, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), FBR, the law ministry and Intelligence Bureau (IB) were creating impediments in the collection of evidence in the Panama Papers probe.
The application, which was signed by all six investigators, the JIT had sought corrective directions from the SC, so that government machinery was not misused. They had also asked the apex court to ensure the safety and security of witnesses, JIT members and their families, as well as the protection of their jobs and careers.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the law ministry strongly denied allegations that it intentionally lingered over the issuance of a notification, authorising the JIT chairman under section 21 of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.
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