Have presented myself, family for accountability, says PM Nawaz
PM said that his personal businesses have nothing to do with the national treasure.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif, after a three-hour long appearance before Panama Leaks Joint Investigation Team (JIT), on Thursday said that all the relevant documents have been provided to the team.
Speaking to the media outside Federal Judicial Academy, PM Nawaz said that he has accounted for every penny. “I have presented myself, government and family before JIT for trial.”
The prime minister said never before in the history of the country, three generations of a family were held accountable the way his family is being done. He said the present process of accountability has been extended to period beyond his birth.
He said, “We will not only be successful in the proceeding of JIT but also in the next General Elections with overwhelming support of the nation.”
He said that his personal businesses have nothing to do with the national treasure as these allegations are on a personal level, adding that the opponents will be unsuccessful no matter how many conspiracies they hatch against him or his family.
Nawaz Sharif said that today is a historic day for the supremacy of the constitution and law in Pakistan. He said that he was held accountable in both Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pervez Musharraf’s era but no charge of corruption proved against him and his family.
National security will be at stake if the factories running specific agenda will not be closed, he stated.
PM’s appearance before JIT
Earlier, PM Nawaz appeared before JIT for the first time and confidently recorded his statement in Panama Papers case.
Arriving at the Federal Judicial Academy without protocol, PM Nawaz greeted the supporters by waving his hand. He was accompanied by his sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Chief Minister of Punjab (CM) Shehbaz Sharif, and Hamza Shehbaz.
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Pictures of Nawaz Sharif before leaving for Federal Judicial Academy
Sources told that as many as 11 questions related to the variations in speeches delivered on different forums after the Panamagate surfaced, sale of Gulf Steel Mills, real owner of Nelson and Nescol companies, Hussain Nawaz’s gift of millions of rupees, and set up of various businesses in parts of the world were asked from the premier during the hearing.
It is to be mentioned that Nawaz Sharif was called as a witness, not as an accused party in the case.
Security beefed up around the academy
Islamabad police, under the command of Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Sajid Kiani, ensured foolproof security arrangements by deploying at least 2500 security officials at various rooftops around Federal Judicial Academy to avoid any untoward incident.
The civic authorities, especially the Capital Development Authority (CDA) spent millions of rupees on the cementing of the dilapidated roads and decoration of the route where PM was to travel.
The roads heading to the academy were blocked by placing barbed wires to refrain entry of irrelevant persons in the area, the higher police official said.
Journalists and media personnel were allotted a special entrance and an enclosure with strict directives to not break the security restrictions.
PML-N supporters gather in big numbers
On the other hand, activists of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) including lawyers and women reached Islamabad to express solidarity with their leader while more banners and posters in support of PM Nawaz in the vicinity of the Federal Judicial Academy were erected.
The supporters, who came from far flung areas, pledged support to the prime minister by waiving their party flags and chanting slogans on his arrival.
What is Panama Leaks?
On April 20, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa had announced Panama Leaks case decision comprising of 540 pages, saying that the court issued a split ruling calling for a JIT. Two of the five judges went further, branding Sharif "dishonest" and saying he should be disqualified, but they were outnumbered.
The team has been directed to submit a progress report after every two weeks to the apex court whereas it is also supposed to complete the investigation within two months.
Panama Papers had published a leak of documents belonging to Mossack Fonseca, a law firm in April 2016 creating an uproar in Pakistan among other countries. The leak was studied by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and stated names of incumbent as well as former leaders of the world who owned shell companies.
Opposition parties in Pakistan saw offshore companies owned by daughter and two sons of PM Nawaz as means to either stash wealth in foreign accounts or purchase assets abroad. The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on daily basis.
Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar had received a summon to appear before JIT on June 17 and June 25 respectively.
Watch PM’s Speech Below
