JIT blames Hussain Nawaz for refusing to answer questions, producing record

ISLAMABAD: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has issued summons to Hussain Nawaz, the son of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, blaming him of coming without relevant record and refusing to answer questions when he appeared before the JIT on May 28. 

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 is expected to submit the relevant record with the JIT today (Tuesday).

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.