Panama Leaks case: JIT grills Hussain Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing offshore properties of the Sharif family in line with the verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) in the PanamaLeaks case interrogated Hussain Nawaz, the son of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) on Sunday.

The JIT, during the course of hearing, observed that the probing team was legal until the Supreme Court (SC) gives verdict on the objections raised by Hussain Nawaz on the two JIT members.

Hussain Nawaz appeared before the JIT and recorded his statement. He said that the JIT neither provided any questionnaire nor laid down any procedure of interrogation. However, the JIT summoned Hussain Nawaz for further interrogationtoday (Monday).

Hussain Nawaz, who appeared before the JIT with his lawyer Fazal Ghani, did not submit any documents and recorded his statement over the questions raised by the JIT members. When the JIT will formally provide him with the questionnaire, he will submit documentary evidence and other related material along with a written reply carrying details about property and business affairs, the sources said.

They said Hussain Nawaz gave verbal answers to the questions raised by the JIT members, mostly regarding tax returns of the London flats. The sources said, "After spending almost two hours before the JIT, Hussain Nawaz left in his car from the rear gate of the Federal Judicial Academy."

Hussain Nawaz in his petition filed with the Supreme Court (SC) had already cast doubts on impartiality of two of the JIT members -- Bilal Rasool (SECP) and Amir Aziz (SBP) -- and the apex court is set to hear this petition today (Monday).

The sources said the JIT members placed no restriction on the entry of the lawyer of Hussain Nawaz, who continued to write down points during the 'question-answer session' that was held for almost two hours.

It is pertinent to mention here that senior members of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) along with dozens of emotional workers were anxiously waiting outside the Federal Judicial Academy but only Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz managed to have a brief chat with Hussain Nawaz before his departure from the Federal Judicial Academy.

The sources said Hussain Nawaz also spent some time with other senior lawyers at the Prime Minister's House where they discussed various aspects of the investigation being held in line with the directives of the three-member bench of the Supreme Court.