ISLAMABAD – Another debate stirred over the formation of the joint investigation team in the Panamagate case after Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar revealed on Wednesday that officials of the spy agencies were already part of the team formed by then interior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan.
He gave these remarks, which raise eyebrows over the role of the former bigwig of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), during the hearing of a case related to the fake bank accounts used for shady transactions.
As the hearing resumed, a discussion over the Panamagate JIT took place. The counsel of Omni Group, Shahid Hamid, informed the court that the investigation team was set up by Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, and officers of Inter-Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence were included.
At this, the chief justice remarked that there was a misunderstanding with regard to the induction of the spy officials in the JIT, adding that the officials of ISI and MI were there in the investigation team formed by Chaudhry Nisar.
It was the Panamagate case in which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified on July 28, 2017 and corruption cases against him and family members were initiated.
‘HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH PANAMAGATE JIT’
Following the remarks of the chief justice, Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying that the JIT was formed on the directions of a three-member bench of the apex court, adding that induction of army officials was also made under its verdict.
Neither he and nor the interior ministry had nothing to do with the constitution of the JIT, he said. Nisar went on to say that the registrar of the Supreme Court had himself sought three names each from FIA, SECP, NAB, ISI and MI on the orders of the three-member bench.
No one from the ministry was included in the entire process of forming the JIT to probe the high profile case, he asserted.
SPY OFFICIALS INDUCTED INTO JIT TO SPICE THINGS UP
During the last hearing of the fake accounts case on Monday, Justice Nisar has asked DG FIA Bashir Memon about the members of the Panama case JIT. Memon had replied that the team was consisting of six members including two officials from ISI and MI.
At this, the chief justice remarked that the spies were added to spice the things up.
The Panama case JIT came under the discussion in the apex court as the CJP had suggested formation of a same kind of investigation team in fictitious bank accounts case.
