Panama Leaks case: Hussain Nawaz appears before JIT with ‘record’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif son, Hussain Nawaz on Tuesday again appeared before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), probing offshore assets of Sharif family with complete documents summoned by the probing team.

The elder son of the prime minister left the  Judicial Complex, office of the JIT, after spending five hours. "JIT made me wait for two and a half hours. We have respect for country's  law, and i will appear before the JIT if summoned again," he told media.   

"I submitted documents that i was asked to provide, and answered all the questions despite being on fast". 

Geo News reported that e he might be summoned on Wednesday by the Joint Investigation Team.

Large number of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz activists were present outside the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA).

Special bench of the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed Hussain Nawaz reservations on two members of the team and directed it to continue its work.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, heard the application of Hussain Nawaz, who had expressed reservations about the two JIT members.

When asked about the documentary evidences sought by the JIT, Dr Asif Kirmani PM’s close aide, said they have brought the records to be presented before the JIT.

President National Bank of Pakistan, Saeed Ahmed, who was also summoned by the JIT recorded his statement.

After Sunday’s proceedings, the JIT blamed Hussain Nawaz of coming without relevant record and refusing to answer questions.

In Summons No JIT/PN/Sum, it said: "In pursuance of the order of the honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan dated 20/04/2017 and 05/05/17 in CMA No 2939 of 2017 in the constitutional petition No 29 of 2016 etc. You were called upon to appear before the JIT on Monday, May 19, 2017, along with relevant record.

"However, despite receiving the summons on May 19, 2017, you did not appear. You were issued another summons on May 25, 2017, to appear on May 28, 2017 along with relevant record as specified therein," it said.

The summons maintained that Hussain Nawaz appeared before the JIT without any relevant record and even refused to answer the questions raised by the JIT's members stating: "You appeared before JIT without any record and also refused to answer any of the questions put forth by the JIT on the pretext that the matter is subjudice as you have filed a petition before the apex court and requested for another date."

Underlining the fact that the JIT has limited time of 60 days to complete its investigation into the PanamaLeaks case in line with the directives of the Supreme Court, it said "Despite paucity of time and your non-cooperation during the proceedings, yet in the interest of justice, you are, hereby, once again called upon to appear before the JIT on Tuesday, the May 30, 2017, at 1100 hrs, at the office of the JIT, The Federal Judicial Academy...along with relevant record/documents/material for recording of statement/examination by the JIT as specified in the previous summon dated May 5, 2017."

At the end, the summons warned Hussain Nawaz saying: "You are advised that failure to comply with summons may entail penal consequences as per relevant laws."

Meanwhile, Hussain Nawaz, in his letter written on May 24 to the JIT, maintained that he was not provided with enough time to travel and get prepared to appear before the JIT on May 25.

He raised various points in his letter, including non-specification of relevant record required of him by the JIT and short timeframe to get prepared and compile record before his appearance to the JIT.

Hussain Nawaz stated in his letter that the summons were served on him in Jeddah on May 19 after 10pm; therefore, not enough time was available for him to “prepare and travel, and then be prepared for the examination”.

It is pertinent to mention here that Hussain Nawaz appeared before the JIT on May 28 for almost two hours to record his statement after he was summoned by the high-profile probe body.
He also made a request to the JIT that it should ensure only one subject “strictly relevant” to be taken up at a time with prior intimation 'in the interests of justice', so that he can dig out available material beforehand and prepare for a 'meaningful session'.

The letter requested to avoid taking all subjects at once as “it will apart from wasting time, cause confusion and cause serious prejudice to me in presenting the facts”. “I be given reasonable notice of 3 to 5 days before a particular session so that I may come prepared for a meaningful discussion and no time is wasted,” it said.