M. M. ALAM
ISLAMABAD: Under-investigation apropos dubious overseas investments – as revealed in Panama-leaks – Hussain Nawaz (son of Pakistan PM) appeared before JIT along-with his lawyer Fazal Ghani today here at the Judicial Academy.
He was questioned for 90 minutes (12 noon till 1.20 PM) by the six-member JIT formed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to probe into Nawaz family’s business dealings abroad.
Wajid Zia, Additional Director FIA, is heading the JIT.
Talking to NewsPakistan.TV Hussain Nawaz said that he appeared before the JIT within 24 hours of receiving the notice.
He said that he was neither informed about the procedure nor was he given any questionnaire.
NewsPakisan.TV correspondent also spotted PML’s Hanif Abbasi, Daniyal Aziz and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry in the premises of the Judicial Academy.
RESERVATIONS AGAINST TWO MEMBERS OF JIT:
It is pertinent to mention that Hussain Nawaz had earlier objected to the inclusion of SB and SECP members in the JIT.
In his application to SC Hussain Nawaz had expressed his objection about inclusion of Bilal Rasool (SECP) and Amer Aziz.
Bilal Rasool, Executive Director Communication, SECP.
Amer Aziz, BS-21 officer, SB.
Hussain Nawaz will go to Supreme Court where a three member SC bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan will hear the matter tomorrow (Monday 29th of May).
Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Hussain Nawaz has said in his plea that for the sake of propriety aforementioned JIT members should be replaced by others.
PS: One of the said JIT members is a closed friend of Pervez Musharraf former president of Pakistan. While the other is a relative of former governor of Punjab Mian Azhar who is presently close to PTI that is daggers drawn with PTI.
RELEVANT PIECES PUBLISHED EARLIER
Panamagate: JIT names finalized by the SC’s 3-member bench! MI & ISI reps also probed Dawnleaks
M. M. ALAM
ISLAMABAD: Six members of a JIT have been finalized today, by SC’s 3-member bench, who will be investigating PM and his son’s overseas businesses.
JIT, that will be led by FIA’s ADG Wajid Zia, will be comprised of Amer Aziz (BS-21 officer of SBP), Bilal Rasool (Executive Director SECP), Irfan Naeem Mangi (Director NAB), *Brig. Muhammad Nauman Saeed (ISI) and **MI’s Brig. Kamran Khurshid.
In order to facilitate them in their investigations JIT members have been given powers granted by laws. That include those available in the CCP 1898, NAB Ord. 1999 and FIA Act 1975.
The team will operate from offices that will be provided in the Federal Judicial Academy building here.
Federal Government has been directed to provide an amount of two crore rupees that will be managed by JIT head (FIA’s ADG Wajid Zia).
JIT – that will be submitting progress reports on fortnightly basis to the bench – has been directed to complete the probe within sixty days according to the Apex Court’s order of 20th April (on the said case).
Next hearing will will take place on 22nd of May.
*, ** Tweeted by Omar R. Qureishi:
PANAMAGATE JIT: 4 CIVIL 2 MILITARY AGENCIES SUBMIT NAMES TO SC
Panamagate JIT: 4 civil 2 military agencies submit names to SC
M. M. ALAM
ISLAMABAD: FIA, NAB, SBP, SECP, ISI and MI have submitted names for JIT in response to the letters sent to them by Supreme Court.
As instructed these agencies have provided three names each to the registrar on Wednesday (26th of April), just a day before the deadline set by the Court.
The credentials are being scrutinized by the SC officials who will notify the final names next week.
While military agencies have recommended six brigadiers for JIT, the civil agencies have suggested the following officials’ names:
NAB: SM Husnain, Muhammad Rizwan, Nauman Aslam.
FIA: AGs Wajid Zia, Ahmad Latif, Dr Shafiq.
SECP: Muzaffar Mirza, Yasir Manzoor, Tariq Bakhtawar.
RELEVANT PIECES PUBLISHED EARLIER
CORPS COMMANDERS DISCUSS PANAMAGATE DECISION AND ARMY’S ROLE IN JIT
Corps Commanders discuss Panamagate decision and army’s role in JIT
RAWALPINDI: The 202nd Corps Commander Conference decided that the Army should play its due role in a legal and transparent manner in the Panama Leaks investigation.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the conference discussed the Panama Case verdict by the Supreme Court of Pakistan “with special reference to JIT”.
“The forum pledged that the institution, through its members in the joint investigation team, shall play its due role in a legal and transparent manner fulfilling confidence reposed by the apex court of Pakistan,” ISPR said in a statement.
CCC AT GHQ. “INSTITUTION, THROUGH ITS MEMBERS IN JIT SHALL PLAY ITS DUE ROLE IN A LEGAL & TRANSPARENT MANNER FULFILLING CONFD REPOSED BY SC”
LAW BARS OPENING OF OVER-FIVE-YEAR-OLD PANAMA CASES: PM’S ASST. ON REVENUE
Law bars opening of over-five-year-old Panama cases: PM’s Asst. on Revenue
SANA MAHMOOD
ISLAMABAD: PM’s Special Asst. on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan has stated here on Friday (21st April) that law did not allow opening of Panama cases in which dealings were made over five years ago.
Terming exclusion of FBR – Pakistan’s top tax monitoring body – from JIT a positive sign, Haroon Akhtar Khan maintained that manifested it has done its work.
Conversely, SC – noting that it had only issued formal notices six months after the matter became public – had shown its distrust on FBR.
SC questioned FBR’s efficiency in pursuing those 400 Pakistanis whose names had surfaced in Panama-leaks apropos owning offshore companies.
NAB CHAIRMAN FAILED TO INVESTIGATE PANAMA CASE: PTI DEMANDS REMOVAL OF QAMAR ZAMAN CHAUDHRY
NAB chairman failed to investigate Panama Case: PTI demands removal of Qamar Zaman Chaudhry
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has demanded the removal of NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry a day after the party chief Imran Khan demanded PM Nawaz’s resignation.
PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry, while talking to the media, said they will file a reference asking for the removal of NAB chairman from his post over his alleged failure to carry out investigations in the Panama leaks case, as pointed out by the Supreme Court.
“The reference will be filed under Article 209,” he said.
Qamar Zaman’s appointment as NAB chief is like ‘legalising corruption’: SC
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan has said that NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhary’s appointment as head of the national accountability watchdog was tantamount to legalizing corruption in the country.
PM Sharif writes to the SC CJ for formation of J. Commission: Panama Leaks
April 22, 2016
M. M. ALAM
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif while addressing the nation has said that the Government would write a letter to CJ of SC regarding formation of Judicial Commission to probe into Panama Leaks matter.
This announcement has taken the air out of the PTI and PPP balloons regarding dharnas as their demand for writing a letter to the CJ has been accepted by the PM.
Sharif said though he was not directly indicted in the Panama Leaks matter he had announced formation of a judicial commission.
PM said that his government would complete its tenure. He said if any of the accusations was proved he would resign and go home. He said that his government believed in transparency and that has also been acknowledged by international organizations.
Pointing towards the details of assets published by the Election Commission he said that: “Those who are accusing me should present evidence if they happen to have any”.
Sharif claimed that his family had been paying income tax for long, “much before people even knew the term ‘income tax’ “. PM said that he was ready again to present himself and his family for accountability: “We have answered all the questions before and will do the same once again”.
Claiming that his family was deeply rooted in Pakistan Sharif said: “Some three decades ago I have started my career as a politician. The worst time was when I was forced to live out of Pakistan, a country I love. When I came back you elected me PM for the third time ”.
Addressing the media he asked them to investigate the facts before running any story against a Pakistani. Pointing towards the recent dharnas he said that the country had lost billions (kharboon) of rupees during the ‘circus’: “Who would be answerable for that”.
Immediately after the televised speech Ministry of Law wrote a letter to CJ regarding setting an Inquiry Commission up in order:
1) To examine information relating to involvement of Pakistani citizens, persons of Pakistan origin and legal entities in off-shore companies in Panama or in any other country;
2) Involvement of former and present holders of public office in writing off their own bank loans or those of their immediate family members through political influence;
3) Transfer from Pakistan of funds which have originated from corruption, commissions or kickbacks, and to determine whether, in any case referred to above, any law for the time being in force in Pakistan has been infringed;
4) in case the answer to aforementioned is affirmative, to determine responsibility for such infringement, and to make such recommendations as may be deemed appropriate;
5) The Commission shall have powers under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 for summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person, including a tax expert or accountant, and examining him on oath, requiring the discovery and production of any documents, receiving evidence on affidavits, issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses on documents and requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any Court or office;
6) The Commission shall have the powers to require any person, subject to any privilege which may be claimed by that person under any law for the time being in force, to furnish information on such point or matters as, in the opinion of the Commission, may be useful for, or relevant to, the subject matter of the inquiry;
7) Any officer not below the rank of a gazetted officer, specially authorized in this behalf by the President of the Commission may enter any building or place where the Commission has reason to believe that any books of account or other documents relating to the subject matter of the inquiry may be found, and may seize any such books of account or documents or take extracts or copies there from subject to the provisions of section 102 and section 103 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, insofar as they may be applicable;
8) Any proceeding before the Commission shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860;
9) The Commission shall be assisted by all the concerned authorities of the Federal and Provincial Governments;
10) The Commission shall start the inquiry at a place and on a date to be fixed by it and shall submit its report to the Federal Government in accordance with its Terms of Reference. The Cabinet Division shall provide secretarial assistance to the Commission.
