ISLAMABAD - A legal team headed by senior advocate Khawaja Haris will represent Sharif family in the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The apex court will begin proceedings in the case in light of the joint investigation team (JIT) report from July 17.
In Panama Papers case earlier Salman Butt represented all the 10 respondents.
But later the Sharif family engaged Akram Sheikh to represent Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz, Mariam Safdar, Capt (retd) Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
Due to the unsatisfactory performance of both Salman Butt and Akram Sheikh, the Sharif family changed their counsel. Makhdoom Ali Khan was engaged to represent Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while Salman Akram Raja appeared on behalf of Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz, and Shahid Hamid represented Mariam Safdar, Capt (retd) Safdar, and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal and comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan would commence proceeding on the Panama Papers case in view of the JIT report from Monday (July 17).
The court had directed the petitioners and the respondents to focus only on the JIT report.
The JIT on July 10 had submitted 10-volume investigation report before the apex court regarding the assets of the Sharif family within and outside Pakistan, which were made public except Volume 10. The JIT had requested the apex court to keep Volume 10 of the report confidential as it contains Mutual Legal Assistance.
Khawaja Haris had represented Hussain Nawaz in video leak of PM son’s image and stop the video recording of witnesses’ statements before the JIT.
He very well defended the case and due to his arguments the apex court had directed the JIT to reveal the name of the person, who had leaked Hussain Nawaz’s image on social media. Khawaja Haris is among the top constitutional and criminal law experts of the country.
The JIT has levelled serious allegations of corruption and money laundering against the Sharif family.
The legal team, which also includes Pervaiz Malik, vowed to defend the Sharif family in a befitting manner. The team finds serious flaws and inconsistencies in the JIT report.
According to them the report is based on presumptions. They said they would request the court to give them full time so that they could contest it comprehensively.
SHARIFS TO CHALLENGE REPORT IN SC TODAY
Online adds: Sharif family will challenge JIT report in Supreme Court on Saturday (today).
Well-placed sources said that legal team led by Khawaja Haris Advocate pointed out several flaws in the report and the team made extensive consultations with Sharif family on this count. The legal team assured Sharif family their stance will be presented in the court in forceful manner and the court will be requested not to give any early verdict on the report. The sources said the legal team is of the view that most of the allegations levelled in the report are based on assumptions which have no legal standing and the second thing is that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has no relevance with Panama leaks.
