Panama bench judges not available till Aug 11

ISLAMABAD: While the opposition parties are asking the Supreme Court to announce the verdict on the Panama JIT report early, the latest cause list for the next two weeks says two members of the bench that heard the case will not be available till August 11.

The SC on Thursday issued cause list till August 11, which said that two judges of the three-member bench, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsen will not be available at the Islamabad Registry for the next two weeks.

Justice Azmat will be hearing a case at the Lahore Registry while Justice Ijaz is proceeding on leaves from next week.

Chairman PTI Imran Khan on Wednesday made an appeal to the apex court to announce the judgement in the Panama case early if possible, as the entire country was waiting for it.

Speaking at a media conference here, Imran charged he knew there would surely be much pressure on the judges by the Nawaz mafia: if he could be offered Rs10 billion, one could imagine, how much could be offered to others. “Nothing is happening, everything has stopped,” he noted.

“Everybody is waiting for the judgement. This is just a request that if possible, then announcement of the judgement should be made early. It is the need of time so that the country could move forward, as presently money is being used, instead of feeling shameful and regretful,” the PTI chairman contended.

The SC concluded the hearing on July 21 and reserved the verdict on the final report submitted by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT). The report accused the ruling family of having assets beyond means.