Sharifs in a fix as Supreme Court takes up Hudaibya case today 

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  • Sharif brothers meet at Jati Umra; Punjab CM likely to meet Nawaz today as well

  • Saad condemns case’s reopening, says they would foil the plot of entangling PML-N leadership in cases and maligning them

ISLAMABAD: With the members of the Sharif family facing a number of corruption charges stemming from the Panama Papers, the Supreme Court (SC) is all set to hear an appeal seeking re-opening of one more graft case against the family on Monday.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, and comprising Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan, will hear the appeal filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeking re-investigation of the Rs1.2 billion Hudaibya Paper Mills case.

The Sharif family seemed to be unhappy with the NAB’s motion seeking to reopen the case, which was put to rest in compliance with a court order.

The discontentment is manifested in the recent statements by the Sharifs’ close aides. Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique earlier this week termed the opening of the case as an unjustified move, saying the case was closed as a result of a court order; thus reopening it was ‘injustice’.

The NAB through its Prosecutor General Waqas Qadeer Dar had filed the appeal pleading the top court to grant leave to appeal to examine the legality, propriety and vires of the 2014 Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict quashing the Hudaibya Paper Mills case and set aside the impugned judgement.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, their mother Shamim Akhtar, Maryam Safdar, Hussain Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Hudaibya Paper Mills Ltd, the federal government and others have been named as respondents in the appeal.

According to the Hudaibya reference, the Sharif family had been accused of setting up the paper mills to launder money. A joint investigation team set up to investigate the Sharif family’s offshore properties had recommended in its report that the case should be investigated afresh.

Subsequently, an SC bench hearing the Panama Papers case had asked the bureau to reopen the case. The Musharraf government had launched an investigation against the Sharif family members back in 2000 for their alleged involvement in money-laundering.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is a close aide and relative of the Sharifs, had given a confessional statement before a magistrate alleging that Sharif brothers used the Hudaibya Paper Mills as cover for money laundering during the late 1990s.

Dar later retracted his statement and claimed that the statement was gleaned under duress.

SHEHBAZ, NAWAZ MEET AT JATI UMRA:

On Saturday, ahead of the possible reopening of the case, deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif met Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif at his residence at Jati Umra.

The two brothers had reportedly developed differences after Nawaz went on the offensive against state institutions following the SC verdict in the Panama case.

But the two appear to have reconciled ahead of reopening of the Hudabiya Paper Mills case.

As per the CM Office, Shehbaz held over an hour-long meeting with Nawaz Sharif at his residence. It also mentioned that Punjab CM was also likely to meet Nawaz on Sunday as well. However, the CM Office sought to downplay the meeting as a weekly family gathering where they have lunch together.

Moreover, the deposed premier also held meetings with Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and other party leaders. A source said that delimitation of constituencies and general elections were at the heart of the discussion during all these meetings.

The source further mentioned that the party has geared up internally to deal with the Panama Leaks fallouts, adding the party had also been subjected to court trials in its previous tenure so there was nothing new.

PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid said Sharif’s meetings were a routine affair, adding that various issues of party and politics were discussed in the meeting and sought to clarify that the only public gathering planned by the PML-N was in Abbottabad on November 19 and not on 20.

He said there was no other gathering planned in Multan or any other city.

Former PM’s daughter Maryam Nawaz tweeted that Sharif’s patience was for the dignity of the country. “If anything hampers the interests of our country, Sharif will not stay silent.”

Similarly, in a series of tweets, the railways minister condemned the reopening of Hudabiya Paper Mills case, saying that they would foil the plot of entangling their party leadership in cases and maligning them. “Nobody would benefit from confrontation,” he added.

PML-N COMPLETES STRATEGY:

Meanwhile, party sources told the Daily Express that PML-N leadership has decided to respect the judgment and file appeals against punishments or disqualifications. “Nawaz, Shehbaz or any other family member nominated in the NAB references will not go into exile in any case,” they added. They also mentioned that a senior party leader will be named its president for a short-term.

A working committee will be set up in the party and an acting president will be appointed temporarily with Raja Zafarul Haq, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan being the potential candidates.

After calibrating options available to the leadership of the PML-N, the party has finalised its political and legal strategy in case of hostile court judgments in ongoing corruption references, including the possible reopening of the dormant Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.

Lastly, the ruling party will also consult all parliamentary parties on the present political situation in the country, as senior party leaders have been advised to keep in touch with important parliamentary leaders. The party has further decided to make utmost efforts to get the relevant legislation done in consultation with other parties for timely elections.

 

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1 COMMENT

  1. Saad Rafique himself is on ‘stay’. He arranged a win for himself n NA Elections. So soon he too would be in the dock.

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