Khawaja Haris may represent Hussain Nawaz in SC

ISLAMABAD: Senior lawyer of the Supreme Court Khwaja Haris is likely to represent Hussain Nawaz, son of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had opposed two members of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) constituted by the Supreme Court for probing allegations of financial irregularities and money laundering, allegedly involving the prime minister and his family for establishing properties abroad.

According to sources close to the Sharif family, Khwaja Haris is mostly likely to appear before a three-member special bench of the apex court tomorrow, May 29, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, hearing the application of Hussain Nawaz Sharif. Salman Akram Raja Advocate who earlier had represented Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz in the PanamaLeaks case, when approached on Saturday, told this scribe that he was not yet approached by the Sharif family to represent Hussain Nawaz in the apex court.

“My other learned friends may be were approached but I have not yet been contacted so far in this regard, he told the News.

Similarly when Muhammad Akram Sheikh, who also earlier represented the children of Nawaz Sharif in Panama Papers case was contacted, his office also expressed its ignorance in this regard.

It was, however, learnt that Khwaja Haris is most likely to represent Hussain Nawaz in the apex court on May 29.  

Meanwhile, after hectic efforts when The News contacted Khwaja Haris, he neither denied nor confirmed but simply said that it was not yet decided as to who will appear before the special bench on May 29 on behalf of Hussain Nawaz. 

It is pertinent to mention here that Hussain Nawaz the other day had objected to two members of the JIT formed by the Supreme Court in the PanamaLeaks case. These members represent the State Bank of Pakistan and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). He blamed these members of having political connections and demanded to replace them. 

Hussain Nawaz submitted a written plea to the Supreme Court's Registrar in which he raised the objection against two JIT members Ahmer Aziz of the SBP and Bilal Rasool of the SECP.

It was contended in the application that these two JIT members have links with former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). 

In his application, Hussain Nawaz said that Bilal Rasool is the real nephew of Mian Muhammad Azhar, who alongside his immediate family members, is an ardent supporter of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Likewise, Ahmer Aziz was also part of a National Accountability Bureau investigation that had been carried out in respect of Hudaibiya Paper Mills during Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf’s regime.

Hussain’s application stated, “Aziz was CFO of Al Baraka Islamic Bank before joining SBP in 1997, which was an associated organisation of Al Towfeek Company for Investment Funds which also had a commercial dispute with Hudaibiya Paper Mills since 1994. It is evident that Aziz is not an impartial member of the JIT nor can he be expected to conduct himself impartially during the JIT proceedings.

Hussain Nawaz had also requested the special bench to replace the two Panama JIT members for transparent and unbiased inquiry.