Lahore (May 13, 2017): The constitution of the joint investigation team in Panamagate case was challenged in Supreme Court of Pakistan here on Saturday.
Barrister Zafarullah Khan of Watan Party has moved to the apex court against the constitution of Panama JIT.
In a petition filed in SC’s Lahore Register, Zafarullah submitted that former Chief Justice of Pakistan had declared in Panama case that inquiry commission could not be constituted in the matter.
He added that applications for investigation into the Panama Leaks scandal were pending with National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He argued that Panama Leaks was not a matter of public interest rather it was a civil matter and the court can’t order constitution of JIT in the matter under its suo-motu jurisdiction under Article 184 (3) of the constitution.
He further argued that the sensitive and intelligence agencies cant not probe civil matter as per law.
The petitioner added that the apex court heard all petitions in Panama Leaks case except his (Zafarullah’s) petition.
He pleaded the court to review its order to constitute JIT in Panama Leaks.
It is to be mentioned here that on May 4, a three-judge special bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, had announced the constitution of the six-man JIT.
Led by FIA Add’l DG Wajid Zia, the team comprised State Bank of Pakistan officer Amer Aziz, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Executive Director Bilal Rasool, National Accountability Bureau’s Balochistan Director General Irfan Naeem Mangi, retired Brig Mohammad Nauman Saeed of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Brig Kamran Khurshid from Military Intelligence (MI).
The JIT is currently seized with investigation into Prime Minister and his family’s business dealings abroad and the money trail, as per the verdict of the apex court in Panama Leaks case.
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