Live from Courtroom No2

       PanamaLeaks case

ISLAMABAD: "My lordship has completely recovered and found very energetic," the day started with these observations in the Courtroom No2 on Wednesday. Worthy judges expressed their gratitude to the audience for the prayers for early recovery of Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh, a key member of the Supreme Court’s five-member bench, hearing landmark case of the PanamaLeaks.

Justice Azmat looked as fresh as he had ever been during the course of last 29 hearings of this case commenced on October 20, 2016. Except three short moments, he spent an active day in the courtroom. He posed around a dozen questions some of them even later proved tough for the arguing counsel.

One of his questions proved to be a ‘danger zone’ for Salman Akram Raja, counsel for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s sons — Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz. Mr Raja, who submitted answers of all eight striking questions before the apex court, would be arguing on “nature of Maryam Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz's relations with Minerva today (Wednesday).

“Let’s called a spade and spade Mr Counsel and show us the documents [on Maryam’s relations with Minerva],” remarked Justice Azmat Sheikh.

Everybody was glad to see the bench resuming hearing into this landmark case. Same old faces -- top leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, around a dozen legislators of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Sheikh Rasheed of Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Sirajul Haq were witnessing the proceedings.

It took 9 hours to Mr Raja to successfully compress his arguments based around 70 case studies taken from seven different countries. Then he prolonged his arguments till today.

Justice Azmat observed, “The question from day one is — who is beneficial owner of these flats.”

Imran Khan, Jehangir Tareen, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, MNAs Daniyal Aziz, Talal Chaudhry and Maiza Hameed were witnessing proceeding. But both PML-N and PTI were preparing their notes for upcoming media talks held soon after the clock stroke 1:00pm in the apex court.

JI Ameer Sirajul Haq continued writing “Ya Qayyum” on his small notebook while sitting next to Sheikh Rasheed who predicted that the proceedings would conclude next week. As Mr Raja continued his arguments, Shahid Hamid and his daughter Ayesha Hamid were taking some notes. Perhaps it was first day when Makhdoom Ali Khan, counsel for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was not seen in the courtroom where more than 250 journalists, civil servants, diplomats, legislators, politicians and intelligence operators were witnessing the course of arguments.

There seemed more like an answer-question session in the courtroom. It started with Mr Raja’s question, “Can or should this court allow the carrying out of fishing or roving inquiry, the purpose of which is to find some wrongdoing by any member of the Sharif Family or the PM, in particular, over a forty five year period?”

Worthy judges also reminded the defence counsel time and again that the burden of proof was on his clients — Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz. Then Mr Raja put another question, “Can facts be averred, by way of explanation?”

He also asked if this court could assume a jurisdiction vested in another court or authority, by exercising power under Articles 184(3) and 187 and if a Commission could be set up to carry out an investigation into alleged crimes when the authority to carry out such an investigation vested with designated investigation agencies in terms of various statutes. Then the proceedings were adjourned with Justice Asif Khosa's remarks, "Mr Salman, please, conclude your arguments by tomorrow [today]."