OBAID ABBASI
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) will probe Sharif’s family assets in four different phases and proceedings of the investigation will remain in-camera, it emerged on Tuesday.
Sources in the JIT said that the authority would investigate the matter in four different phases and for this the authority had already written a letter to FIA director general and sought names of five officers with expertise in probing white-collar crime.
In first phase, JIT will seek all records of off-shores companies and properties owned by their sons in London. In second phase, the JIT will summon the prime minister and his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz so their statements could be recorded, explained the sources.
Similarly, the sources said that in third phase, JIT will examine all the record pertaining to the case and compare it with the statements of the premier and his sons. According to the sources, in the fourth phase JIT will submit its report to the apex court.
JIT will submit its initial report to the apex court on May 22 as the court had already directed to submit the report after every two weeks and final report will be submitted after 60 days. However, the sources believed that it will be difficult for the JIT to submit a detailed report in 60 days as the experts will write the countries concerned for the record and experts may visit abroad for seeking record related to off-shore companies.
Interestingly, the proceeding of the JIT will remain in-camera. However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has expressed concern and said that party would never accept a closed-door meeting, and warned that the party could approach the SC or hold protests demanding live coverage of the investigation and open proceedings of the investigation team.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed by the Supreme Court for the implementation of Panama Leaks verdict, met on Tuesday ahead of formally launching an investigation into the case.
Wajid Zia, Additional Director at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) who is heading the six-member JIT, chaired the session at the JIT Secretariat and set out the investigation method for the Panama verdict implementation.