Panama papers: Reprieve for Nawaz Sharif, SC order JIT probe

The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the formation of a joint investigation team to probe prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in connection with the Panama papers case. A five-judge bench comprising Justices Asif Saeed Khosa, Gulzar Ahmed, Ejaz Afzal Khan, Azmat Saeed and Ijazul Ahsan delivered a 3-2 split verdict in the matter.

Dawn news reported that the JIT would include officials of the NAB, FIA, the Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Inter-Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence. The probe would be led by an officer of the FIA in the rank of a director-general. A special bench will examine the case under Section 184/3 of the Constitution.

Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif told reporters that the verdict was split 3-2. They have said what the PM has already said in his letter- that a commission should be constituted to investigate the matter.

It was Justice Khosa who announced the 540 page final verdict in the case. The judge asserted that the Federal Investigation Agency and National Accountability Bureau were not successful in the probe.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz, retired Capt Muhammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar were the respondents in the case.

Dawn news reported that the JIT would include officials of the NAB, FIA, the Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Inter-Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence. The probe would be led by an officer of the FIA in the rank of a director-general. A special bench will examine the case under Section 184/3 of the Constitution.

The Panama papers are a massive trove of secret documents leaked from a law firm which specialised in helping people stashing wealth in offshore tax havens. The papers had said that the PM's children Maryam, Hassan and Hussain were owners of had the right to authorise transactions for several offshore companies.

OneIndia News