ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s workers to refrain from assembling at the Federal Judicial Academy on Thursday when he will make his first appearance before the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
According to the prime minister’s special secretary Asif Kirmani, in a special message to party workers across the country, the premier said “you [PML-N workers] are our strength.”
“The prime minister also asked them to remember him in their prayers,” he added.
Kirmani explained that the premier was informed of party workers’ ‘wishes’ to assemble at the academy as a show of support before his maiden appearance.
As Thursday is approaching, banners expressing support for the prime minister are being put up across the capital’s Red Zone. They bore pictures of the premier, his brother Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and daughter Maryam Nawaz.
According to Geo News, the person behind putting up the posters was identified as Senator Abbas Afridi. Afridi recently retired as a senator and minister in the federal government.
Earlier on Tuesday, PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi visited the academy to supervise ‘arrangements’ ahead of the premier’s appearance. Talking to Geo News, Abbasi had said party workers and leaders would wholeheartedly welcome their leader.
JIT Summons PM Nawaz
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had summoned Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to appear on Thursday (June 15, 2017) to probe into the offshore assets of ruling family.
Sources within the government said that the summons was issued to the PM on Saturday after he returned from his international trip to Kazakhstan, where he had been attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The PM House clarified in a statement that the premier would appear before the team currently investigating the assets of ruling Sharif family abroad.
It was also murmured that finance minister Ishaq Dar would also be summoned during the current week as his name echoed during the hearing of Panama case in connection with Hudaibya Paper Mills case.
Hussain Nawaz
PM’s elder son Hussain Nawaz has appeared before the JIT five times. After the last session, Hussain expressed that he hoped not to be summoned again by the investigative body.
He rubbished the allegations put forth against the Sharif family and expressed that a political party initiated the whole episode adding that no evidence could be brought against his family.
Apart from Hussain, Hassan Nawaz also had a session with the JIT at the federal judicial academy.
