Supreme Court is not the proper forum for adjudicating the Panama Papers case, but once the apex court assumed jurisdiction and took notice of the matter it has no option but to decide the matter within a reasonable period of time. This was stated by Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon, Vice-Chairman of the apex representative body of lawyers, while talking to Business Recorder.
He further observed that there is no factual controversy in the case and subsequent to the admission of ownership by the Sharifs the burden of proof rests with them and they have to provide the money trail in the matter. Bhoon said that it is for the court to decide when the verdict will be delivered.
On February 16, a five-member larger bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa asked the chairmen National Accountability Bureau and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to appear before the court in the Panama Papers case on February 21 with details of actions taken so far to probe the matter. A NAB official told this correspondent that the Bureau has not initiated any investigation into the Panama case so far as the issue was beyond its jurisdiction. The scandal, he added, was unearthed abroad and there are no specified domestic laws in place to proceed against those whose names were unveiled in the papers.
He, however, added that under Section 21 of NAB Ordinance 1999, the Bureau can lodge its claim with Panama and other countries for the recovery of assets and properties. The FBR sources revealed to Business Recorder that the FBR has already submitted a report before the Supreme Court in the matter. However, sources further disclosed that FBR will respond to any and all queries of the five-member larger bench.
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