Panamagate Case: SC directs PM's lawyer to satisfy bench over statements

ISLAMABAD: After resuming the hearing of Panama Papers case on Thursday, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan of the Supreme Court of Pakistan directed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan to satisfy the bench over his statements.

A five-member larger bench, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, is hearing the Panama Leaks case on a daily basis. Other judges in the bench include Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan.

During his arguments, Makhdoom Ali Khan said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was not director or shareholder of an offshore company, nor was he its beneficial owner.

The bench asked Nawaz Sharif's counsel about a money trail for the flats in London and asked him to prove there were no inconsistencies in the prime minister's speech in the National Assembly.

The counsel argued that the family business was transferred to son, Hussain Nawaz after the death of Mian Sharif, the PM's father. The prime minister had nothing to do with it.

Makhdoom Ali Khan told the bench that the Dubai factory was established after taking a loan, the bench asked for presenting documents in court in this respect. The PM's counsel asked the court to form a commission to visit Dubai and review allegations made against the prime minister.

Justice Ijazul Hassan observed that the prime minister had recognized the Dubai mills and said all records are available. Now the burden of proof is upon you, he told the PM's counsel.

During proceedings the bench remarked that the Prime Minister had said his life was an open book, but "now we feel that several pages of that book are missing."

Justice Ijaz remarked that the records which the Prime Minister mentioned had not been produced. "We cannot decide what is true or false without looking at the records," he said.

The hearing was later adjourned till Friday.

Speaking to media outside the Supreme Court during the break, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Fawad Chaudhry said that during the hearing the Prime Minister's lawyer brought forward three main arguments.

"First that the court cannot give a verdict on his speech in the parliament. He argued that the PM is not answerable about either his father or his son's finances. However, he failed to give any evidence about the Dubai factory the Prime Minister has."

In the hearing on Wednesday, counsel of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Naeem Bukhari said that the statements of the prime minister and his children are contradictory.

He also argued that a bearer certificate is not a prize bond, which owned by the person who is possessing it. "According to the law intimation of holding the bearer certificate is necessary," the counsel said.

PTI Chief Imran Khan and Shaikh Rasheed were present in the court today. In the last hearing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf completed its arguement.