Hussain Nawaz faces JIT, sets a precedent in Pak history

ISLAMABAD: Unlike Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son Hussain bowed before the legal process to answer tough questions from the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) for hours, setting a new precedent in Pakistan’s history.

When Musharraf had imposed martial law in October 1999, Hussain, along with his father and several other members of his family, was detained incommunicado for several days, and his whereabouts were not known for months.

Hussain was neither in politics in 1999 nor was he in this murky field now. He is only concerned with his business like his younger brother, Hassan. Last time, he was forcibly held without any charge while he now faced intense accountability on the orders of the Supreme Court.

This is the first time that the key members of the first family that has ruled Pakistan for years with intervals are appearing before an investigative agency like ordinary persons. The JIT is reportedly asking harsh questions, a fact confirmed by the prime minister’s cousin, Tariq Shafi, who registered his complaint against certain members of the JIT with its head.

The process gives a lie to the oft-repeated accusation against the premier that no meaningful accountability of his family was possible as all the state institutions are under his firm command and control. The JIT is working under the tight supervision of the Supreme Court and not under any executive authority.

Even after the top court has rejected Hussain’s claim that two JIT members – Amer Aziz and Bilal Rasool – were biased against the Sharifs, the defendants continue to assert their stand everywhere saying that despite their strong reservations, they have joined the investigations.

When the Panama case was being heard by the apex court, all the defendants presented their side of the story through their lawyers as there was no need for them to personally appear. This was the first time that Hussain presented himself before the JIT without the assistance and help of his aides or lawyers. He insisted to take his attorney with him, but was disallowed to do so by the JIT for its own reasons.

It is believed that Hussain took the same stand that he had emphasized during the court proceedings and handed over the same documents that he had delivered to the highest judicial forum.

Before going inside the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) and while coming out of it, Hussain appeared to be normal and stated that he answered all the questions. The prime ministers and all others would stand vindicated, he said. However, the impact of fasting in the harsh summer was visible.

It is yet not clear from the JIT whether the premier will personally appear before the JIT at the FJA or a questionnaire will be sent to him to answer.

Hussain stated that questions pertained to the foreign properties, companies, Hill Metals, Azizia Mill, and London flats, and he produced the relevant documents. He warned that he would again complain to the Supreme Court if the behaviour of any JIT member became partial and biased.

Hassan is also yet to answer questions from the JIT, which has still to announce when it will summon him. The observation of the special bench that the Qatari prince’s letter will be thrown out of window if he did not testify before the JIT has alarmed the government and has stated that the sheikh will certainly provide a powerful answer to the questions put to him.

Meanwhile, the government has asked the top court to take notice of a news report revealing a tale of whatsapp conversation that took place between a caller who identified himself as the court registrar and top officials of the State Bank of Pakistan and Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) in connection with formation of JIT.

"We hope the apex court will take notice of the The News report published," State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said and added that the government hopes that the court would see what has been written in the report and would take strict action.