Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Monday (today) submitted documentary evidence to strengthen his case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in the Panamagate hearing.
The documents, submitted by Advocate Naeem Bokhari, the 686-page document claimed that the Sharif family has laundered a sum of Rs145 million since 1988 through illegal hundi/hawala business in order to evade taxes.
During this period of money laundering of Rs145mn, the documents claim, “Sharif paid only Rs897 in income tax”.
It is alleged in the documents that two Hawala dealers from Peshawar were used to “siphon off” large amounts of money abroad in order to “whiten Sharif’s black money” and to evade income and wealth taxes.
The money laundered to a bank in the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere was exchanged into foreign currency and “repatriated [to Pakistan] in the name of 43 Sharif family members”.
The alleged transfer of funds and purchases of assets overseas was disclosed in a statement by Khalid Siraj, “first cousin and business partner” of Sharif, the documents claim.
The outstanding liabilities against Ittefaq Group of Industries owned by the Sharif family amount to Rs6,146m, they claim, adding that the industrial complexes owned by the Sharif family grew rapidly during the years Sharif was finance minister and chief minister of Punjab.
The Supreme Court will resume hearing the Panamagate case on Nov 15 (tomorrow). While the court is still considering whether it will appoint a commission to probe the Panamagate case, the court has made known its intention of initiating the process of accountability with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as a test case — since he has volunteered himself for scrutiny and because, as the prime minister, his responsibilities are greater than those of others.
-Shiekh Rasheed submits evidence in SC-
Speaking to the media, Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Shiekh Rasheed said, “Further details and evidence have been submitted to the Supreme Court regarding the Panama leaks case, including details on Prime Minister Nawaz’s companies from 2001 onward.”
“Nawaz Sharif wants to become Pakistan’s Erdogan in the future,” he said referring to the Turkish president.
The AML chief further said that “Nawaz Sharif’s children have changed their lawyer.”
“We were already aware of the prime minister’s meetings with Advocate Akram Sheikh, whose son has been appointed the legal adviser.”
He alleged that the PM is using “delays as weapons.”
-PML-N replaces lawyer-
The counsel for the children of the prime minister was replaced with Akram Sheikh. Salman Aslam Butt was previously representing Maryam, Hussain and Hassan in the top court.
According to reports, the PM’s children submitted a request at the Supreme Court in which it was stated that the services of Akram Sheikh would now be required in the Panama Leaks case.
It was earlier reported that a senior lawyer belonging to the PML-N was not happy with the strategy of the PM’s legal team. He said that the team should have aggressively presented their case.
