JIT summons Hussain Nawaz again today for questioning

Zafar Hijazi also called

ISLAMABAD: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has summoned Hussain Nawaz for the third time for personal appearance on Thursday in which he will be cross questioned about the money trail submitted by him on May 30 regarding the London Mayfair flats and other properties, the sources told The News here on Wednesday.

The sources said the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chief Zafar Hijazi would also appear before the JIT on June 2. In this connection, a notification has been issued by the JIT probing the Panama case on Wednesday.

According to the sources, the JIT had sent a notice to the SECP chief for personal appearance before it. Zafar Hijazi will also bring with him all the records and documents related to the Panama case.

The sources said the JIT would ask the SECP chairman to provide the details about their investigation with regard to the Panama Leaks after which a roadmap would be evolved to verify the facts given in the money trail of the London Mayfair flats.

However, the spokesman of the SECP maintained that they had not received any kind of notice from the JIT till end of the working day on Wednesday. The sources said Hassan Nawaz had also arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday night but he did not appear before the JIT seeking time for preparations in this respect, adding "Hassan Nawaz informed that he needs some time for preparation, so he be given a few days for his personal appearance before the JIT." 

The sources said the JIT's members during the meeting held on Wednesday discussed the ways and means to verify and investigate the money trail of the London Mayfair flats submitted by Hussain Nawaz, adding "It was decided during the meeting of the JIT that the SECP will help seek details of the beneficial owner of directors of the offshore companies owned by Hussain Nawaz in British Virgin Islands."

It is pertinent to mention here that when the investigation was launched into the crash of stock market in 2005, the SECP had hired the services of forensic investigator of M/s Diligence, David T Wolfe, as there was no one available to carry out this task.

The sources said the JIT's members would also ask questions from Hussain Nawaz with regard to 'rights of non-resident Pakistani' and dig out what kinds of rights he intends to seek during the investigation into the Panama Leaks case. 

The sources said the second letter of JIT has been delivered to Qatari Prince Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al Thani giving him three options to record statements. The first option points out that two members would leave for Qatar to record the statement in relation to the probe. The second option is to send a written response to aid the investigation and according to the third option, a statement through video link can also be shared by the Qatari family.

The Supreme Court has already made it clear that if the Qatari royal never appears before the JIT, his letter would have no legal value and be thrown out.