LAHORE - The Lahore High Court yesterday issued notices to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other members of Sharif family in a petition challenging their offshore companies and other assets outside Pakistan.
Those who have been sent the court notices include first lady Kalsoom Nawaz and her children Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz, and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree had filed the petition in LHC, submitting that the Sharif family concealed their assets and transferred money through illegal means to establish their businesses abroad. He maintained that the family lied to the nation which left no moral or legal ground for them to contest elections and hold public offices.
The petitioner requested the court to order the NAB to ensure transparency in the probe following the Panama leaks.
After hearing initial arguments, Justice Muhammad Khalid Mehmood Khan issued notices to PM and his family members for having assets in different countries. The court adjourned further hearing for April 18.
Meanwhile, Justice Shahid Waheed overruled an objection of Registrar Office on a petition challenging constitution of inquiry commission to probe allegations of Panama leaks against Prime Minister and his family, and other politicians.
The high court also directed the registrar office to fix the petition before any appropriate bench. Earlier, the registrar office had objected to the petition that it could not be filed before the Lahore High Court. The office had held that the petitioner should approach Islamabad High court.
The petitioner, however, challenged the objection saying that he had filed the petition under Article 199 and the LHC has jurisdiction to hear it.
The Judicial Activism Panel had filed the petition through its chairman Advocate Azhar Siddique, maintaining that constitution of such inquiry commission is unlawful. “The allegation of corruption against PM’s family is an individual matter and National Accountability Bureau should be allowed to investigate it independently.
“An inquiry commission is made when a collective damage takes place which causes damage to the public at large,” the counsel said.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that a judicial commission would be formed, comprising of retired Supreme Court judges. “The commission will investigate the allegations and give its verdict so that facts become clear to all. Those hurling allegations on my family should approach the Commission and prove their allegations there,” the prime minister said in an address to nation.
“A judicial commission cannot be made without order of the President, and merely on the advice of Prime Minister. A legal procedure is involved in making it which has not been done so far,” the petitioner’s counsel argued.
Besides that, he added, a number of inquiry commissions were made in the past on different issues and they did mention many irregularities or misconduct in their findings, but no action was taken. “Formation of another inquiry tribunal will be wastage of time and public money,” he held. After Hussain Nawaz admitted the existence of their companies outside Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may be declared as disqualified, Mr Siddique said.
“Hussain Nawaz was minor when offshore company was purchased outside Pakistan in 1993 and 1994 but Nawaz Sharif did not declare his assets before the Election Commission of Pakistan. He concealed the facts from the public and thus, he cannot hold any public office,” the counsel said in the petition.
The petitioner has requested the court to order the National Accountability Bureau to hold inquiry into the allegations by Panama Papers on PM Nawaz and his family members, and fix responsibility.
He further prayed that Election Commission of Pakistan be directed to start inquiry against the prime minister for concealing facts from the public while submitting nomination papers.
Earlier this week, media reports claimed that several politicians, businessmen and other influential figures were named as owners or shareholders in offshore firms incorporated through the Mossack Fonseca law firm. In addition to the companies owned by Nawaz Sharif’s family members, the leaks also allege that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, her nephew Hassan Ali Jaffery and former interior minister Rehman Malik were the owners of Petrofine FZC - a company that was implicated in the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal, unearthed by a UN committee in 2005. The Panama leaks also mention the names of several other Pakistani politicians, businessmen and media moguls.
PTI demands impartial probe into Sharifs’ assets
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