JIT files plea with SC about threats, obstacles

NBP chief writes to apex court about maltreatment by probe team

ISLAMABAD: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing PanamaLeaks case filed a petition with the Supreme Court on Saturday in which it informed the apex court about the problems, obstacles and threats being faced by its members.

"The JIT in its petition maintained that its members are facing criticism, external pressure and even have security concerns," the sources said. The petition has been filed by the JIT in line with the directives of the Supreme Court in which the apex court ordered the JIT head, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director General Wajid Zia to file a separate petition regarding the problems being faced by the probing body.

A meeting of JIT was also held on Saturday under the supervision of Wajid Zia in which the members discussed various issues especially recording of statements of the Qatari Prince and members of the Qazi family which possesses key information regarding alleged money laundering through Hudaibiya Paper Mills.

The sources said the JIT mulled over the option to contact the members of the Qazi family and send a team to the United Kingdom to record their statements focusing on alleged money laundering using their fake bank accounts.  “The JIT once again thoroughly reviewed the documents submitted by Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz and prepared some more questions to be asked from the sons of the prime minister,” the sources said.

Earlier, the president of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) wrote a letter to the Supreme Court over alleged maltreatment by the JIT in sheer violation of the apex court orders, which guaranteed dignity to all those being interrogated by the probe body.

NBP President Saeed Ahmad who appeared before the JIT on May 30 handed over this 2-page letter to the Registrar of the Supreme Court on June 5 in which he stated, “I understand that the court has ruled that all those who appear before JIT should be treated with respect. However, I felt that during questioning, I was insulted, threatened and subjected to undue pressure.”

Narrating his alleged ordeal he said, “I was at the Judicial Academy for 12 hours and the long wait during appearance and particularly the first five hours’ wait was very unnerving. I do realise that I was there for a criminal investigation not as a witness and it seems I was being punished as a condemned person.”

It is pertinent to mention here that Hussain Nawaz, son of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had also expressed reservations about two members of the JIT. 

In his petition to the Supreme Court, Hussain Nawaz raised concerns over impartiality of the representatives of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and demanded the apex court to replace them for transparent and unbiased investigation. But the Supreme Court rejected his petition and maintained no one would be replaced in JIT without any solid proof against him.

Tariq Shafi, cousin of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Javed Kayani who had also appeared before the JIT are also believed to have reservations about the conduct of JIT.

According to the reports, both of them were humiliated and threatened by the JIT members during marathon interrogation sessions.

In his letter, Saeed Ahmad who was observing fast when he appeared before JIT also pointed out, “It is bad enough to have such a long wait on an ordinary day but such an experience during the month of Ramazan was very testing.”

He maintained, “If complete recording of the interview is available, it will be very obvious from there. I may not be able to discuss the nature of questions and their relevance to the investigation due to confidentiality...but I was interrogated as if I were a death sentence convict.”

He said, “I waited for nearly 5 hours or so before I was called in for the first of the three interview sessions. After an initial inquiry, I was given a document to study and write a statement. I was also asked to read it out which I did...I had to wait for another two hours when I was called in for the last session. This finished around 10:30pm.”

He said when the JIT issued him summons for his personal appearance he booked an air ticket from Karachi to Islamabad but he could not make for the flight due to massive road block at Shahra-e-Faisal in Karachi.

“I asked bank’s legal adviser over the phone to draft a letter and send to JIT to advise my inability to attend the meeting...This was done to keep JIT informed about my inability to appear...This was not taken kindly by JIT and they brought this to attention of the honorable judges hearing the matter, reinforcing the impression that I was deliberately trying to delay the matter,” the letter said.