Panama Papers case: PM gave contradictory statements, says SC
There are discrepancies between the Prime Minister's statements, Justice Ijazul Ahsan said.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – While hearing the Panama Papers case today (Wednesday), the Supreme Court of Pakistan remarked that there is contradiction between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s statements that were given to the court and those that were made on the floor of the National Assembly.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali conducted the hearing in presence of the government representatives, lawyers of petitioners, senior PTI leaders including Imran Khan, AML chief Sheikh Rasheed and the media.
During the case proceeding, the apex court asked: How the finances were raised for Jeddah Steel Mill? Which bank was used for money transfer? How money was transferred from Qatar to London? How Tariq Shafi transferred 12 million dirhams from Dubai to Qatar?
Pakistan Tehereek-e-Insaf’s counsel Naeem Bukhari contended that Sharif family had failed to produce a single document showing how money had been transferred from Pakistan to other countries.
He added that there was no uniformity in Shehbaz Sharif’s cousin Tariq Shafi’s signatures on the affidavit and the contract.
Naeem Bukhari argued that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was not truthful and honest (sadiq and ameen) thus liable to be disqualified from the National Assembly.
The case hearing has been adjourned till December 6.
Speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court, PTI leader Jahangir Tareen said there is no documentation given in the court that can prove Dhs12 million investment. Neither did the Sharifs earn anything from the sale of the Dubai mills. In fact when those mills were sold they were in deep losses.
According to a vast leak of documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, three of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s four children - Maryam, Hasan and Hussain owned London property through an offshore company.
Sharif and his family have dismissed the allegations of money laundering and denied any wrongdoing but the opposition is demanding an independent probe.
