- JIT left with nine days to conclude investigations
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has summoned Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s cousin Tariq Shafi, acquainted with the details of his assets abroad, to appear before it on July 2, for the second time.
Tariq Shafi had previously submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that he was part of all transactions relating to the sale of Dubai properties owned by Mian Sharif—father of PM Nawaz Sharif—and transfer of that money to Qatar.
Earlier, Shafi claimed that the investigators misbehaved with him during the session.
Shafi had filed the complaint with JIT’s head Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director General Wajid Zia against some of the JIT members, who allegedly misbehaved with him during interrogation. A copy of the complaint has also been sent to the Supreme Court registrar for the perusal of the three-judge special bench, which is overseeing implementation of Panamagate verdict.
Moreover, the prime minister’s son Hasan Nawaz has been summoned by the investigation team on July 3 and his elder brother Hussain Nawaz will appear before the JIT on July 4. Maryam Nawaz is scheduled to appear before the team on July 5.
The summons also asked the respondents to bring forth relevant documents related to the Sharif family’s financial assets.
The JIT on Saturday examined the record provided by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). An SECP officials’ team, headed by its additional registrar Liaqat Ali Dolla, on Friday submitted record related to some Sharif family’s business entities to JIT.
The JIT had sought this record related to Itifaq, Chaudhry and Haseeb sugar mills owned by Sharif family in connection with the ongoing investigations into Panamagate case. The record related to Hudabiya Paper Mills has also been provided to the JIT by SECP.
Probe into Chaudhry Sugar Mills was initiated back in 2011, during the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) tenure, but closed later for unknown reasons.
The JIT, formed on May 6 in light of the Supreme Court’s April 20 judgment in the Panama case, was given 60 days to complete its probe. However, since the original deadline was falling on a Friday, and with the JIT taking a day off on Eid, July 10 has been decided as the deadline to submit its final report.