ISLAMABAD: The special bench of the Supreme Court will meet Monday (today) to discuss the government’s response to the Panama case Joint Investigation Team’s (JIT) charges that its probe is being hurdled by certain official quarters.
Proceedings of the three-member bench could not be held on Thursday and the meeting was adjourned until Monday (today) since the JIT members could not show up in court owing to the premier’s questioning by them on the same day.
The bench is headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and includes Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh.
At the hearing on Wednesday, the court had reserved its decision on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son, Hussain Nawaz’s, petition challenging the recording of the JIT proceedings and had also directed the attorney general (AG) to submit his response to the JIT’s report on ‘impediments’ faced by it.
The AG, on Friday, had presented the government’s response to the JIT’s charges to the Supreme Court.
The government agencies, departments and ministry, including the Prime Minister House, have all collectively rejected charges of pressuring witnesses and delaying the high-profile probe.
Moreover, on Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif appeared before the JIT. Talking to the media, the Punjab chief minister said that every penny earned by his family is accounted for, adding that all assets owned by the family are part of the family’s private wealth and have nothing to do with public funds. He also rejected all allegations of wrongdoing and corruption hurled by his opponents.
The JIT has also summoned Prime Minister’s elder son, Hussain Nawaz, five times and his younger son, Hassan, twice so far.