Panama Leaks: Sharifs' lawyer to submit evidence on November 15

The counsel of Sharif family will submit documentary evidence in support of his clients in Panama Leaks case before the Supreme Court on November 15. A five-member larger bench led by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali on November 1 took up five identical pleas filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and others, seeking the court's directives to probe the Panama Leaks, making Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, two sons Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as respondents.
Earlier, Salman Aslam Butt had submitted replies before the court; however, the larger bench could not form a commission on the matter, saying the decision to form the commission or otherwise would be taken after examining all the documentary evidence of the parties in the case.
Talking to Business Recorder, Butt said it is the first and foremost responsibility to observe the court's directives in the matter so that the apex court's verdict over Panama Leaks issue would be accepted. An independent legal expert, Sharafat Ali Chaudhry while talking to Business Recorder about the proposed commission said the main purpose of the commission would be to inquire into Panama Leaks through collecting evidence. He expressed if the petitioners submit documentary evidence in pursuance of the court's directives then the court may not form one-member Commission.
Chaudhry maintained if need arises to conduct inquiry and record evidences then the court may form Commission to collect evidences. He said that in given circumstance, the Commission would only be empowered to gather evidence by collecting relevant documents and recording statements for findings. Chaudhry was of the view that the findings of proposed commission would not amount to judgement in the matter.
Chaudhry further said if the Chairman PTI succeeds to prove Maryam Nawaz Sharif as owner of the offshore companies in accordance with his claim in his petition, which is only possible through submitting title documents of relevant offshore companies regarding her ownership of the said companies from 1995 to onward, no commission would be formed to probe the issue. "It would be the larger bench that would decide the matter and pronounce judgement based on the findings of proposed commission," he added.