ISLAMABAD: Justice Asif Saeed Khosa-led five member bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan is all set to announce the Panamagate verdict today at 11:30 am, according to a notification issued by the Supreme Court on Thursday evening.
The verdict will be announced in Courtroom 1 of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq — the petitioners in the case — are likely to be present in the court when the verdict is being announced.
Moreover, members of the federal government, as well as other opposition parties, are also making their way to the Supreme Court for the final announcement.
Strict security measures are in place in the capital with around 3,000 personnel of the Frontier Constabulary, Islamabad Police, and Punjab Rangers deployed.
Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan-led three member bench reserved the judgment last Friday after hearing the counsels of petitioners and respondents following the submission of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report on July 10.
Last Friday, the arguments by counsels of both respondents and correspondents were concluded and the Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan-led three member bench, while reserving the judgment, told both parties that it will be given after a thorough perusal of available documents and with due regard to the judgment of April 20. The hopes and fears about possible judgment have escalated on both sides of the aisle.
The latest court roster issued by the registrar Supreme Court on Thursday put an end to the rumours that judges are being busy elsewhere until August 11. The calls had alerted the parties in the case of a delay in the decision.
The roster issued by the registrar Supreme Court on Thursday revealed that two of the three judges on the special Panama Case implementation bench will be out of the city from next week until August 11, 2017.
Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed is to hear cases in the apex court’s Lahore Registry while Justice Ijaz ul Ahsen is on leave from the coming Monday.
Earlier, PTI chairman Imran Khan, sensing any expected delay, pleaded for an early decision to the Panama Papers Case. “The public is anxiously awaiting the verdict of Supreme Court on the Panama Case”, he said on July 26.
The latest court roster also confirmed that neither there are any changes to the members of the existing larger bench nor is the number of members in the bench is changed. Earlier it was being speculated on the print as well as electronic media that the larger bench of five judges might get reduced to three judges.
During the course of JIT, the Sharif family members appeared before the team and recorded their statements.
In its final report, the JIT said that critical documentary evidence has been acquired by the JIT in the following cases. Firstly, confirmation of beneficial Ownership of Maryam Nawaz of BBI companies Nelson and Nescoll. Secondly, confirmation of chairmanship of Nawaz Sharif at offshore company FZE Capital. Thirdly, confirmation of fictitious sale-purchase agreements submitted to the court by the respondents, and lastly submission of false tampered declarations of Trusts by the Sharifs in the Supreme Court and JIT.
April 20th Judgment
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif narrowly escaped disqualification as three judges out of the five-member bench ordered the constitution of a joint investigation team (JIT) to further investigate allegations.
Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, who headed the five-judge bench, announced the order over the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Jammat-i-Islami and the Awami Muslim League (AML) petitions.
The three judges – Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh and Justice Ijazul Ahsan – of the bench differed with the opinion of two other judges and directed for an appropriate investigation in the case.
According to the order, which is the operative part of the judgment, the Supreme Court issued directions to set up the joint investigation team within seven days (of the judgment) to investigate and submit its report within 60 days about the allegations, published in the Panama Papers.
“In normal circumstances, such exercise could be conducted by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) but when its chairman appears to be indifferent and even unwilling to perform his part, we are constrained to look elsewhere and therefore, constitute a joint investigation team,” the judgment reads.
The joint team was comprised of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), representative of the National Accountability Bureau, nominee of the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), a nominee of the State Bank of Pakistan, and seasoned officers from the Military Intelligence (MI) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to look into various business enterprises of the family of the prime minister.
The judgment further said that the JIT will investigate the case and collect evidence that shows that Nawaz Sharif or any of his dependents or benamidars (beneficial owner) owns, possesses or has acquired assets or any interest disproportionate to his known means of income and submit its final report within 60 days. It also directed Nawaz Sharif, Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz to appear and associate with the JIT as and when required.
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