ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali on Friday formed a five-member larger bench to hear multiple petitions in the Panama Papers leaks case on November 1.
A five-member bench headed by CJP Jamali will now include Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Ijaz Ahsan and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain.
Legal experts believe that the top court’s next hearing will be pivotal as it will determine whether it can intervene in the matter or not. Attorney General Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali claimed that the court will decide the maintainability of these petitions on November 1.
Former AGP Salman Aslam Butt is likely to represent Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the apex court.
Last week, the Supreme Court said it will hear multiple petitions in the Panama Papers leaks case on November 1, a day before Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s planned sit-in in Islamabad.
The apex court asked the premier, his family and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to submit their response to the notices issued before November 1.
It is relevant to mention that Islamabad High Court has already barred PTI from locking down capital as part of their drive to press government. The court also ordered PTI chief Imran Khan to appear before the court in personal capacity on October 31.
Meanwhile, the government has started crack down against PTI workers. Awami Muslim League chairman Sheikh Rasheed’s Lal haveli has also been sealed with scores of containers.
