The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has made important findings in the report that it submitted in the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Monday regarding the Panama probe of Sharif family, and said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif refused to recognize his own uncle (Khaloo) during the interview, and identified him after two and half hours of questioning.
As per details, PM Nawaz remained reluctant in answering the questions regarding the Gulf Steel Mills, and kept on saying “neither does he know Mr. Muhammad Hussain nor his partnership in Gulf Steel Mills.” On the contrary, he admitted after some time that Mr. Hussain is his own uncle.
The report states: “Mian Nawaz Sharif was visibly evasive about most of the questions related to Gulf Steel Mills. Despite repeated questions, he stated that neither does he know Mr. Muhammad Hussain nor his partnership in Gulf Steel Mills, which is unlikely. After two and half hours of the interview, he admitted only to the extent of knowing Mr. Muhammad Hussain, as his uncle (Khaloo).”
On May 16, 2016, Nawaz Sharif addressed the National Assembly as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and said according to the JIT report: “Our father reached Dubai for the purpose of business and established a factory with the name of Gulf Steel comprising of 10 lac square feet of are. This factory, in 1980, was sold for 33.37 million Dirhams or for 9 million Dollars.”
As per the report, Nawaz Sharif said before the JIT: “The Gulf steel Mill was setup mainly from loans. I have neither owned nor held any beneficial interest in Gulf Steel Mills, I was also never involved in the running or operation of any of the foreign companies. I do not want to discuss the details of the sale proceeds of Gulf steel as they were best known to my father. All I know is that they were used for the business set up outside Pakistan later. I cannot however say when was the sale proceed of Gulf steel handed over to Al-Thani family; whether immediately after the sale or later on.”
The JIT concluded in its report: “Mian Nawaz Sharif’s statement that this factory (Gulf Steel Mills), in 1980 was sold for 33.37 million Dirhams or for 9 million Dollars cannot be corroborates.”
