Islamabad (Staff Report): The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), tasked to probe Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif' offshore properties has requested the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file a reference against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his children, Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz.
The premier’s son-in-law, Capt Safdar, was also included in the names forwarded to NAB.
The JIT had reservations regarding the significant gap and disparity among the known and declared source of income and the wealth accumulated have been observed, according to the JIT document.
“The financial structure and health of the companies in Pakistan having linkages to the Respondents also do not substantiate the wealth of Respondents,” said the document.
Earlier, the JIT submitted its final report before the Supreme Court before the special implementation bench of the apex court.
The three-member bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan that included Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan resumed hearing the case to examine findings of the inquiry panel.
The investigators brought with them documents in two cartons.
Wajid Zia, the head of Joint Investigation team requested the supreme court, not to public a particular portion of the report saying it contains correspondence with international firms.
The apex court remarked that the parties concerned could obtain a copy of the report from the registrar of the SC.
FIA probe team revealed serious allegations against SECP chairman Zafar Hijazi who was alleged of tampering records of Sharif family’s properties. The SC ruled that a case be immediately lodged against Hijazi.
The court adjourned the hearing of the case till July 17.
The Supreme Court took up the Sharif family’s case in November last year after the main political parties failed to agree on a committee to probe the April 2016 Panama Papers leaks, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan threatened mass protests and to ‘shut down Islamabad’ in protest on November 2.
On April 20, the five-member Supreme Court bench gave its verdict in the case with the judgment split 3-2 in favour of a further probe against the premier’s family wealth. The other two judges had ruled that sufficient evidence was available for the prime minister to be de-seated.
The JIT – formed on May 6 – was given 60 days to complete its probe into the Sharif family’s international financial dealings and submit its report to the Supreme Court’s special implementation bench overseeing its proceedings.
The JIT team is headed by Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director Wajid Zia, and includes members from Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, SECP, State Bank of Pakistan and NAB.
