ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday said that the claim made by the prime minister’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif that the joint investigation team (JIT) was conducting probe against her and her family without any charge sheet in hand, was “beyond comprehension”.

While giving direct response to the remarks made by Maryam Nawaz Sharif that she gave after her appearance before the JIT, PTI’s Secretary Information Shafqat Mahmood in a hurriedly called press conference said that everyone knew what were the charges against Maryam and her family.

Earlier the day, Maryam had said that this was the first JIT that had launched a probe without any charge sheet in its hand.

PTI secretary information also appealed to the Supreme Court to take notice what he termed the federal ministers and special assistants to the prime minister giving overt threats to the members of the JIT.

“It is unfair to say that her [Maryam] name was not in the SC judgement regarding Panama Papers case,” he said pointing towards a claim made by Maryam Nawaz.

Mahmood said that it was necessary to question her by the JIT because she was facing allegations of being a beneficial owner of two offshore companies, Nelson and Nescol.

She had publicly said that she had no property but this later proved incorrect.

“Why [the] JIT has not summoned the other daughter of prime minister who is daughter-in-law of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar,” he said, explaining because her name was not in the Panama Papers.

Another reason reportedly of her being summoned by the JIT is that her spouse Capt (retd) Safdar failed to disclose the sources of money being spent on the education of their children before the JIT, Mehmood said.

Safdar reportedly told the JIT that his wife knew about it, he said.

Mahmood said that Maryam Nawaz had tried to give a twist to she being summoned before the JIT as if perhaps the civilian supremacy was under threat.

Raising questions over the official protocol given to Maryam during her appearance before the JIT, he said that the ruling party tried to turn the appearance into “a high drama”.

He said that a few hundred people came out on roads despite the best efforts of the PML-N in Punjab during the day of Maryam’s appearance. Mahmood said that the ruling family was giving a wrong impression that perhaps they were extending a great favour to the nation by appearing before the JIT.

“They are appearing in the light of the judgement of the SC and it would be contempt of court if they refuse,” he said. Now Sharif family has presented strange logic that there was no charge against them, and Maryam said that their private business was being held accountable instead of their official position. “The charge against them is that PM Nawaz Sharif and his family amassed properties amounting billions but had no source of income,” Mahmood said.

“You are facing charges of corruption and money laundering,” he said, adding the Sharif family expanded its private business when they were in power and this was the charge against them.

“There is a direct connection between their official positions and their private businesses,” Mahmood said. This is unjust of Maryam to say that accountability was not being carried out of their official position but rather of their private businesses.

The PTI secretary information deplored that federal ministers and special assistants to the prime minister were giving threats to the JIT members, who were government officials.

“They are being asked to be prepared after July 10th [the date at which JIT would submit the final report before SC],” he said.

Mahmood also gave reference to the recent speech made by Dr Asif Kirmani, special assistant to the prime minister, against JIT members.

In this way, they are giving a tough message to other government officials as the FIA was undergoing an inquiry against the record tempering of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

While referring to the media talk of Federal Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Mahmood said that the minister had admitted that the PML-N had lost the case in the eyes of the masses.

Rafique had said that the decision on the Panama Papers case against the Sharif family should be based on merit and should be a popular decision. Describing the reasons of Ishaq Dar’s closeness to the Sharif family, Mahmood said that this was because “mafias needed accountants and lawyers to whiten black money.”

He also said that it was the responsibility of the Sharif family to persuade the Qatari prince to appear before the JIT.

But the prince is scared because the JIT would cross examine him, Mahmood said.

Qatari prince should send the details of the transactions of money if he is not available, he said. PTI MNA Murad Saeed on the occasion said that it was wrong to say as claimed by the PML-N that the international community did not take the Panama Papers seriously.

The SC judgement referred to a number of countries where action had been taken, he said PTI Senator Shibli Faraz condemned the lady police officer’s act of saluting Maryam Nawaz when she reached the Federal Judicial Academy to appear before the JIT.

Responding a question, Mahmood said PTI Chairman Imran Khan would respond to all the cases being heard against him before the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).