In wee hours on Tuesday, two members of Joint Investigation Team, Irfan Naeem Mangi of NAB and Brigadier Kamran Khurshid of MI, tasked to probe assets of Sharif family abroad in wake of Panama case verdict, left for Dubai, UAE to record statement of Qatari Prince Hamad bin Jassim. Their departure, however, has not laid to rest to rampant speculations related to whether JIT will seek extension of time from SC on July 10 or will file its final report as it has already interviewed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PM’s son-in-law Captain Safdar and cousin Tariq Shafi.
Also, it has interviewed PM’s younger son Hassan Nawaz who has appeared before the team three times and Hussain Nawaz, the elder son of premier faced the JIT for six times so far. Also, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was interrogated on July 3 and Maryam Nawaz is all set to face the team for the first time today.
Pakistan Today has reached out to notable lawyers and asked them their take on the matter.
‘There is a possibility that JIT will seek some more time to complete its investigations. And it should be given. I was of the view from the beginning that the time given by apex court to JIT is not suffice in to carry out such huge investigation. Let us presume that JIT is halfway in its investigation and the court terminate l the whole process citing time won’t be a reasonable thing,’ said former Supreme Court Bar Association president Kamran Murtaza, who is also the only member of Pakistan Bar Council from Balochistan. Murtaza added that JIT was formed under the judgment of the court and not by some statutory provisions. ‘It was made by the court and it is fully in the power of court to handle it the way it pleases,’ he concluded.
However, the sentiments of Advocate Kamran Murtaza are not shared by the leadership of bars who’ve already announced a movement against PM Nawaz. Islamabad High Court Bar Association President Arif Chaudhary cleared it from the very outset that lawyers would not tolerate any further delay. ‘We’ll not at all be okay if the deadline is extended. Supreme Court has already given a deadline and although investigation is all but over, they’ve interviewed the concerned people, acquired the relevant record and there is just no reason to postpone it,’ he said while tailing to Pakistan Today. ‘The whole nation is in the grip of this Panama business. Our stock market has crashed, businesses are at standstill. Is this the way how countries are to be run? We won’t allow anyone make country hostage. We’ll protest and our demand remains same that PM should resign,’ he said.
Supreme Court advocate Chaudhary Faisal was of the view that the investigation of JIT was all but done. ‘The relevant people have recorded their statements, the team has sought and given relevant record, they have been submitting their fortnightly reports. I don’t see any reason why an extension is required and Supreme Court has been clear about its stance on granting an extension,’ he opined.
It’s is pertinent to mention here that the Qatar envoy to Pakistan, Saqr bin Mubarak al Mansur has officially distanced Government of Qatar from this whole affair back in February. Also, the letter was neither certified by Qatar government or even its embassy, which is a prerequisite for any foreign origin document before submission to the court.
Also, initially Prince Hammad bin Jassim was asked to testify before JIT but refused, he even declined the offer by JIT to visit Pak Embassy in Doha for recording his statement which he refused. It should be kept in mind that submission of certified evidence and documents lies squarely on defendants, as per the law of the land.
It is pertinent to mention here that Supreme Court has given a deadline of July 10 to the JIT to submit its final report. It is yet to be seen whether the JIT will submit its final report to SC, or as many observers believe will seek extension of deadline.
