JIT grills Hussain Nawaz for third time

ISLAMABAD: The joint investigation team (JIT), after examining the record produced by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son, has questioned Hussain Nawaz for about four hours as he appeared before the JIT third time in less than a week on Thursday.

Hussain reached the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) at 9:55 am and left at 4:25 pm.

Hussain Nawaz, while talking to media outside FJA, complained that the JIT had kept him waiting for two hours.

He said that he has been summoned by the JIT again for the next session, adding, whoever the JIT summons has to appear before it. Hussain reiterated that no evidence of any irregularity can be found against him, his father (PM Nawaz) or any of his siblings in the investigation.

Sources said that JIT, headed by FIA Additional Director General Wajid Zia, had put a bulk of questions on visibly jittery Hussain.

JIT questioned that when he became the owner of London Mayfair flats? He [Hussain] said I became the owner of those flats in 2006. Earlier it was the property of the Qatari prince, he added.

He said that then my grandfather, Muhammad Sharif had good terms and was also a business partner with the Qatari prince.

JIT continued with the questions and asked him why did his mother tell media, in the interviews telecast by different television channels in early 2000’s, the London property was purchased for the stay of Sharif children’s during their study period? He answered that what my mother had said was her point of view but he became the owner of the said flats in 2006. Hussain Nawaz responses were not different from what he submitted in his concise statement before the Supreme Court during the hearing.

JIT quizzed Hussain that the money came from Pakistan through which medium? He said that then he was too young and did not know that where and how the money came from but yes the property was inherited by him from his grandfather.

He said that all of assets and business are legitimate.

JIT asked him that his sister [Maryam] was also the beneficiary of offshore companies and did she own any part of the London property? Hussain said that yes she was.

JIT members asked Hussain that how long were you dependent on your father? He said that until he started his own business, PM Nawaz never interferes in my business, he said.

He was told to disclose his entire assets; however, he said that he need time to discuss it with his counsel, adding that all he owns is totally legal.

JIT questioned that how long Sharif family was in a business deal with the prince of Qatar? He responded that his grandfather started the business with the Qatari prince and that went for a long time until our factories were nationalised in Pakistan.

The sources said that the JIT members also asked questions from Hussain related to ‘rights of non-resident Pakistani’.

Strict security arrangements were made for the security of Hussain Nawaz at the Federal Judicial Academy and its adjacent locality.

Outside the FJA, the premier’s son said that he was interrogated in isolation, and wasn’t allowed to be accompanied by a lawyer. He will appear as many times as called, he said.

“Bogus cases were lodged against us during the [Pervez] Musharraf era as well. We are giving answers and politicians will always continue to give answers,” he claimed.

He also said that his younger brother, Hassan Nawaz, who was summoned by the JIT on Wednesday but was a no-show, will be appearing before the probing body.

Sources said that JIT has summoned Finance Minister Ishaq Dar along with the relevant documents on Saturday to record his statement.

Earlier, the JIT members had discussed the ways and means to verify and investigate the money trail of the London Mayfair flats submitted by Hussain Nawaz. “It was decided during the meeting of the JIT that the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) will seek details of the beneficial owner of directors of the offshore companies owned by Hussain Nawaz in British Virgin Islands,” sources said.

The sources said the second letter of JIT has been delivered to Qatari Prince Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani giving him three options to record statements. The first option is that two members would leave for Qatar to record the statement in relation to the probe, the second option is to send a written response to aid the investigation and the third one is to send a statement through a video link.

The Supreme Court has already made it clear that if the Qatari royal never appears before the JIT, his letter would have no legal value and be thrown out.

Sources said that the JIT had summoned SECP Chief Zafar Hijazi to appear before JIT on June 2 (today) bringing with him all relevant records and documents related to the Panama case.

On his third arrival at FJA, Hussain was greeted by a horde of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) activists, including Islamabad’s Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz, Hanif Abbasi, Daniel Aziz, Rawalpindi Mayor Sardar Naseem, PTDC MD Chaudhary Ghafoor and Deputy Mayor Zeeshan Ali Naqvi.

The JIT is investigating the prime minister’s family’s global financial dealings in light of the Supreme Court’s April 20 judgment.