- Justice Azmat says JIT heading in right direction, shows confidence on investigation team
- JIT head ordered to complete probe within 60 days; court rejects PTI’s demand for report
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director General Wajid Zia, who heads the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing Panama papers case, has submitted 15-day progress report before the special implementation bench of the Supreme Court.
A three-member special bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ejazul Ahsan resumed hearing of the implementation case of the Panama verdict. The JIT head submitted the sealed report relating to the progress in the investigation so far made by the investigation team.
The court reviewed the report, and remarked that it reviewed the progress report and its direction. During the proceedings, Justice Ejaz Afzal addressing the JIT head said that he should keep in mind that the investigation be completed within 60 days. “We will not allow extra time under any circumstances,” Justice Shiekh Azmat said.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) counsel Fawad Chaudhry pleaded the bench to give the progress report of the JIT to them. The court rejected PTI’s appeal for sharing the report with it. Justice Ejaz asked the PTI counsel to quote any section of CrPC supporting his plea for sharing the report.
“Is there any precedent in law where documents related to investigation of a criminal case were handed over to the parties,” he asked the counsel. “If you have law that says it can, then so let us know and we’ll consider,” he remarked. “We don’t sell law for popularity,” he remarked. The bench declared that till completion of the investigation, nothing would be made public or shared with anyone.
However, the bench said that the report would be made public at a suitable time. Justice Azmat asked the JIT head to inform the bench if he had any issues with any department or not anyone was cooperating with him. He said that the JIT was heading in right direction, adding that they had confidence on the team. The next hearing will be held in two weeks, in line with the Supreme Court’s order on the Panama Papers case.
MEDIA TALK: Journalists encircled JIT head and started asking questions about the cooperation of the state institutions in the investigation. Zia replied that all the departments were cooperating with the investigators. “We’ll pay full heed and follow directions of the court in letter and spirit,” he said. When asked whether the JIT will summon the prime minister, he declined to comment.
PTI council Fawad Chaudhry said that the judges have termed this a criminal case where the Code of Criminal Procedure was applied; hence the prime minister can be arrested. “I am disappointed that the progress report of the JIT will not be shared with the ‘public’. Since the case ‘affects’ all, the ‘public’ has a right to know,” he claimed.
Later, State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the PTI chief wants a cheap publicity on issues of national importance. She said that Imran Khan speaks the language of enemies, be it Kulbhushan Jadhav hearing in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or the News Leak issue.
PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry said that it was proved today that the JIT was working in a pressure-less atmosphere without any fear and favour, as alleged by its detractors before. Earlier, entering the court to attend the proceedings, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said they would decide on whether to ask the bench to order the JIT to release daily progress reports after examining the present 15-day report. The JIT will present its next periodic report before the special bench after a fortnight. –SHAH NAWAZ MOHAL, FARID SABRI