Panama Leaks: Argue as attorney general, don't become party, SC tells AG

Panama Leaks: Argue as attorney general, don't become party, SC tells AG

Islamabad (Web Desk): A five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court (SC) led by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa resumed hearing the Panama Leaks case on Wednesday.

Attorney General (AG) Ashtar Ausaf Ali pleaded that the Hudaibiya Paper Mills reference against the Sharif family should not be linked with the Panama Papers case as it differs in nature.

The apex court observed that allegations of corruption against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family in Panamagate case were not ‘frivolous’ as they could be right or wrong.”

Ashtar Ausaf said that he had taken a look at the records and concluded that the Sharif family took loan on foreign currency accounts. To this Justice Azmat Saeed remarked that the court had been told that investments had been made with the Qatar Prince, and no foreign currency account had been mentioned.

Addressing the AG, Justice Saeed said: "You should argue as the attorney general. Don't become a party [to the case]."

Speaking about disqualification of the Prime Minister, the Attorney General said that the law states that the disqualification reference is first sent to the speaker, and if he does not respond only then the court can intervene.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf counsel Naeem Bukhari responded saying that the Supreme Court had sent former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani home even though $65 million were never returned to the public exchequer.

The hearing of the case has been adjourned till Thursday.