Sharif family all for JIT session with Qatari prince

Islamabad: An utmost effort of the Sharif family is that the Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT) holds a session with former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani so that the money trail of the offshore companies and London flats provided by it to the Supreme Court is endorsed by his testimony.

Hamad bin Jassim’s deposition is exceedingly important not only for the respondents but also for the JIT for the purpose of a fair investigation to reach the truth. In the absence of his statement for any reason, the inquiry will obviously lack an extremely important element.

The JIT’s side of the story for not interviewing the Qatari leader is not publicly known as the team has not come out on the record about its reasons not to meet him in his home country despite his willingness. The JIT selectively leaks information to its choice journalists it prefers but doesn’t formally disseminate the full picture about its activities. This gives rise to speculation.

On the other hand, Hamad bin Jassim has made it known for a number of times through his press interviews that he is ready to record his account with the JIT in Qatar. He has also stated that he fully stands by the contents of his two letters, submitted by the Sharif family to the apex court.

Reports indicate that the Qatari leader has offered to receive the JIT in his Doha office or residence while the JIT insists that he should come to Pakistan’s embassy in Qatar and that the proceedings will be recorded. The matter is now apparently stuck up between these two conflicting stands. Its resolution is not a big deal if the two sides want to tide over it amicably.

The reported departure of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son Hussain to Qatar is seemingly meant to prevail upon Hamad bin Jassim to agree to the JIT’s terms for his testimony so that the respondents are not deprived of his vital account. Hussain has made this bid when the JIT has been left with just three days to file its report in the Supreme Court on July 10. The excuse of time constraint because of the fast approaching deadline to conclude its determinations may be raised by the JIT if it was now contacted by Hamad bin Jassim, showing his readiness for a session at the Pakistan embassy in Doha.

The three-member special implementation bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan has already cautioned that the Qatari letters would be thrown out of window if Hamad bin Jassim did not appear before the JIT. Such eventuality will be definitely a great setback to the Sharif family’s case because it has put a huge reliance on these communications. This warning has infused a sense of urgency in the respondents to ensure that the Qatari leader agrees to appear before the JIT.

The JIT already informed the bench three weeks ago that Hamad bin Jassim is not prepared to present himself before the JIT. After that, the Qatari leader publicly announced more than once that he is disposed to appear before the investigators.

In view of the bench’s warning, several Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have insisted that the evidence of the Qatari Sheikh must be recorded by the JIT otherwise there will be serious reservations and question marks on its findings.

After the recording of Maryam’s testimony by the JIT on Wednesday, it appears that the process has come to a close as far as collection of evidence (or just hearing the witnesses speak) has been completed by the team.

When two days ago a couple of JIT members visited Dubai, it was widely speculated that they have gone to Qatar or they will go to this Gulf country from the UAE. However, they flew back into Pakistan after one day. Even otherwise, it was not possible for them to go to Qatar from Dubai because of the recent severing of all links and relations by the UAE with this tiny Gulf state.

While these JIT members have collected the record relating to the Dubai steel mill, set up and later sold by Mian Mohammad Sharif in seventies, from the UAE during their present visit, questions about its sale proceeds having been sent to Qatar will remain unanswered due to the absence of Hamad bin Jassim’s statement.

It was believed that the Panama probe would also cover foreign territories like Britain, Saudi Arabia, the Crown dependencies of British Virgin Island (BVI) where the two offshore companies – Nielsen Enterprises Limited and Nescoll Limited – are registered, and another two such dependencies where the service provider of these firms, Minerva Trust and Corporate Services Limited, and Cumber Group are registered. But the JIT has not visited any of these foreign lands to carry out investigations.