LHC issues notices to PM, others in Panama Papers petition

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued notices to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his wife Kalsoom Nawaz, sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, daughter Maryam Nawaz and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on a petition, challenging their offshore companies and other assets outside Pakistan.

A lawyer, Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafri, had filed the petition, arguing that the prime minister and his family members had concealed their assets.He alleged that they transferred money through illegal means and established their businesses aboard. He accused the family of lying to the nation which, he claimed, had left no moral or legal ground for them to contest elections and hold public offices.

The petitioner alleged that the premier took the step in his personal capacity and prayed to the court to order the NAB to investigate the Panama Papers’ issue with transparency.After hearing the initial arguments, Justice Muhammad Khalid Mehmood Khan issued notices to the respondents and adjourned further hearing for April 18.

Separately, Justice Shahid Waheed of the LHC overruled an objection of the registrar’s office on a petition seeking formation of a high-level investigation team to probe into the allegations against the prime minister, his family and other politicians instead of constituting an inquiry commission. The judge directed the registrar’s office to fix the petition before any appropriate bench.

Earlier, the registrar’s office had objected to the petition, stating that it could not be filed before the LHC and the petitioner should approach the Islamabad High Court. The case was fixed as objection case before Justice Waheed.

The petitioner – a local lawyer – said he filed the petition under Article 199 of the Constitution and the LHC had jurisdiction to hear that.He claimed that constitution of the inquiry commission was unlawful and the corruption allegation against the prime minister’s family was an individual matter. Therefore, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should be allowed to investigate the matter independently.

According to the petitioner, an inquiry commission is formed when a collective damage takes place, affecting the public at large. A judicial commission cannot be made without the president’s order on the advice of prime minister.

He said the legal procedure involved in establishing a commission had not been followed so far. Beside it, he stated, a number of inquiry commissions were made in the past but no action was taken on their findings. Hence, the formation of another inquiry tribunal would be wastage of time and public money.

The petitioner said after Hussain Nawaz’s admission about the existence of their companies outside Pakistan, the premier should be disqualified. Hussain, he added, was a minor when the offshore company was purchased outside Pakistan in 1993 and 1994 but the prime minister did not declare his assets before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). “He concealed the facts from the public and thus, he cannot hold a public office.”

The petitioner prayed to the court to order the NAB to hold an inquiry into the Panama Papers and fix responsibility. Also, the ECP should be directed to start an inquiry against the prime minister for concealing the facts from the public while submitting his nomination papers.