ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has adjourned hearing a slew of Panama Leaks petitions till December 6 (Tuesday).
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, resumed hearing the Panama Leaks case after a two weeks break on Wednesday.
Naeem Bokhari represented PTI in today’s hearing after senior lawyer Hamid Khan distanced himself from representing the party in the Panama Leaks case. Senior lawyer Babar Awan was also part of the legal team that PTI has constituted.
Meanwhile, PTI’s counsel Naeem Bukhari urged apex court to continue the proceedings infront of everyone. He pleaded that the Sharif family did not mention the exact date of setting up factory in Dubai adding that he would prove that the factory was set up through ‘Benami’.
Naeem in his quintessential witty tone asked Justice Azmat Saeed as if he would be angry with him today. Justice Azmat said responded: ‘You should focus on your case instead of flattering me’.
He argued that after selling 75 percent of shares, the Sharif family was still liable to pay Rs. 6 million to BCCI bank.
Naeem pleaded that Rs. 27 million AED were paid to BCCI bank after selling the shares and Shahbaz Sharif represented his cousin Tariq Shafi in this agreement.
He claimed that agreement for Dubai steel mills was inked on April 14, 1980 and Tariq Shafi sold 25 percent shares to Ahili steel mills for Rs. 12 million AED (United Arab Emirates Dirham).
He alleged the premier of lying on the floor of National Assembly as well as in apex court and claimed that London flats were bought during 1993-96 by the Sharif family.
PTI’s counsel claimed that when Dubai factory was setup, Tariq Shafi was young and he was not given any money after the sale of Gulf steel mills. He asked the apex court to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the basis of conflicts in his statements.
He went on to claim that Flagship investment company belonged to Hassan Nawaz. Moreover, a flat was recently bought by Sharif family in Hyde Park London but it was not mentioned in documents.
He added that London flats were purchased by Sharif family before selling Jeddah steel mills contrary to the claims of Sharif family.
Naeem mentioned the date of birth of PM’s scions to which Justice Khosa replied that PTI should also provide the date of birth of Qatari prince Hammad bin Jasim.
Naeem replied that the names of male members of Al-Saani family were much similar and so it was difficult for the party to find his date of birth.
Justice Khosa asked PTI’s counsel to prove that the off shore companies were in possession of Sharif family before 2006.
The Supreme Court in its remarks said that the Sharif family had not presented documents for companies it had mentioned. In fact, documents had been hidden from the court, the apex court said.
“Why were the documents hidden?” the court asked Akram Sheikh, the prime minister’s lawyer.
If you say that you are a shareholder, you will have to give evidence, Justice Azmat Saeed remarked.
Meanwhile, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said that two signatures of Tariq Shafi did not match each other, to which Naeem alleged that Shahbaz Sharif actually signed the documents instead of Tariq Shafi himself.
Justice Ijaz Ul Hassan also inquired as to how factory in Jeddah was sold by the ruling Sharif family while justice Azmat Saeed inquired about the money trail from Jeddah to London anf from Qatar to London. He said that the court was interested in knowing the actual cost of London flats. Moreover, he said that the letter of Qatari prince was not attested.
Justice Azmat remarked that PTI urged court to accept the press clippings and inquired whether court should also accept what was being stated in those clippings regarding Imran Khan from last thirty years.
Justice Saeed said that Qatari prince mentioned about his elder brother but did not mention his name.
Justice Khosa remarked that it looked like Tariq Shafi was working for Mian Shareef, he also inquired as to how Tariq Shafi transferred Rs. 12 million AED to Qatar. He observed that all the documents related to Mian Shareef (father of Mian Nawaz Sharif).
Naeem Bukhari also took aim at chairman NAB adding that he tried to save Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He demanded stern action against the NAB chairman for being complicit in helping PM Nawaz.
The apex court has adjourned the hearing till December 6 and most probably Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would be arguing again regarding the money trail and offshore companies of ruling Sharif family during the next hearing.
Meanwhile, talking to newsmen outside Supreme Court, PTI leader Jahangir Tareen expressed that PTI’s counsel Naeem Bukhari highlighted the conflict between different statements of PM Nawaz.
On the other hand, PML-N’s Talal Chaudhry expressed that PTI replaced lawyer with an actor while referring to Naeem Bukhari in a veiled reference. He said that an e-mail or replacement of lawyer would not benefit PTI. He also alleged PTI chairman Imran Khan of lying about his flat.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Quraishi, AML chief Sheikh Rasheed and PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi were present in the court for today’s hearing.
On Tuesday, chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan deliberated with chief of Awami Muslim League (AML) Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad over Panama Leaks case against premier’s family in the Supreme Court.
The two leaders agreed to giving the government representatives tough time in the apex court. Sheikh Rasheed, on the other hand, submitted further documents in the SC relating to Panama Leaks case.
The petitions seeking Prime Minister’s disqualification over Panama Leaks issue were filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Siraj-ul-Hag, Awami Muslim League’s Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Advocate Tariq Asad.
