I do not recognise jurisdiction of Pak laws, courts: Qatari prince

ISLAMABAD: Qatari Prince Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Tahni while responding to the latest JIT letter, exclusively reported in The News and Jang on Friday, categorically rejected JIT’s contention of applying jurisdiction of Pakistani laws and court on him.

“I do not recognise, and am not subject to, jurisdiction of Pakistani laws and Pakistani courts in any manner whatsoever,” Al-Thani responded to the JIT head in his letter dated 6th July, 2017. The letter was emailed as well as faxed to the JIT the same day to avoid any delay.

Al-Thani unambiguously told the JIT not to enter into any further discourse or argument on the question of jurisdiction.

Clearly sounds upset with the JIT’s contention on the issue of applying Pakistani jurisdiction on him, the influential member of the ruling Qatar family said, “Your statement (with reference to my earlier letters) that I have accepted and submitted to the jurisdiction of Pakistani laws and courts is inappropriate and factually incorrect.”

Al-Thani conveyed the JIT that his two earlier letters which were submitted before the Supreme Court of Pakistan provided certain factual information and do not in any manner depict that he has accepted any such jurisdiction as understood and conceived by the JIT.

“The issue of jurisdiction as stated in your letter is taking discussion in an irrelevant direction,” Al-Thani told the JIT, adding, “Therefore, it is not appropriate to enter into any further discourse or argument on the question of jurisdiction since my stance on the matter is very clear.”

Reiterating his stance on the letters that he had submitted before the Supreme Court in favour of the ruling Sharif family, he said, “I also stand by the statement made by me in the earlier letters, have already confirmed as such to you and have also expressed my willingness to do so (subject to my above stated position as to jurisdiction) in person in a meeting with your team in Doha.”

He concluded by again offering the JIT to provide a date for meeting alongwith names of the JIT members, who will be travelling to Doha for the meeting. Al-Thani’s latest communication is the consequence of JIT’s letter dated 4th July, whose content was shared by The News and Jang on Friday. 

On the question of jurisdiction the JIT conveyed to the Qatari prince, “Submission to jurisdiction once conceded or volunteered cannot subsequently be unilaterally withdrawn. Moreover, please also note that should your Excellency now seek to assert this position, it will impact on the admissibility, evidentiary, probative value and standing of the contents of your letters dated 5-11-2016 and 22-12-2016, which otherwise remain unsubstantiated.”

Referring to its earlier communications, the JIT had also said, “The stated purpose and background was to enable the JIT to ‘verify’ and ‘investigate’ the contents of your letters dated 5-11-2016 and 22-12-2016, which have been submitted with your expressed acquiesce by the Respondents No 7 (Hussain Nawaz) and 8 (Hassan Nawaz)….. before the Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan and to ‘record your statement’ in relation thereto and not merely for ‘verification’ of both your ‘letters submitted to the JIT’ as mentioned in your letter under reply.”

On the question of jurisdiction as was raised by the Qatari prince in his previous letter written to the JIT, the Team had taken the position, “You have already formally and irrevocably accepted and submitted to the jurisdiction of the honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan and concomitantly the jurisdiction of the JIT. As a corollary, you have also accepted extension and application of the relevant laws of Pakistan. This conclusion flows inevitably not only from your aforementioned acts and conduct but is further reinforced by the contents of both of your aforementioned letters of 5-11-2016 and 22-12-2016, which have been formally placed on the record of the Supreme Court.”