ISLAMABAD: Musings by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers regarding the outcome of the Panamagate case continue to provide grist to the rumour mill as both sides claim that the case will be decided in their favour.

Following Friday’s hearing in the Supreme Court, PTI spokesperson Fawwad Chaudhry announced that they had submitted all the evidence they had against the prime minister and his family.

The nation would soon learn the truth of the matter and the PM and his family would face the music, he said.

The PTI spokesperson said the Supreme Court on Friday inquired as to how Hussain Nawaz, son of the prime minister, had started a business worth billions of rupees in a foreign country.

He said the PTI had submitted evidence of how the trail of all transactions by Maryam Nawaz, daughter of the prime minister, led to her father. “In fact Maryam Nawaz is a benami of Nawaz Sharif,” he said.

Naeemul Haq, another spokesperson for the party, said the PTI had provided all the information required by the court. “Now there is no ambiguity in the case,” he added.

He said Friday’s proceedings were of a technical nature, adding that the case would be decided in the coming week.

On the other hand, MNA Tallal Chaudhry of the PML-N told reporters in front of the Supreme Court that Maryam Nawaz had submitted her statement to the apex court clarifying that she was not the sole beneficiary of Sharif’s offshore properties. “Her reply has stunned the PTI and its leaders, who now have no argument to challenge it in court,” he said.

Mr Chaudhry said the case would be disposed of soon as the arguments presented by PTI’s lawyers had only served to make the ruling party’s case stronger. “We are hopeful that the case will be decided soon.”

He said it was clear now that Prime Minister Nawaz Shairf had nothing to do with the Panama Papers case, so the proceedings now revolved around his children.

Speaking to reporters in front of the court, Awami Muslim League president Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said he hoped the case would be decided soon. “The lost honour of our country will be restored,” he added.

The Jamaat-i-Islami chief said that the Panamagate case affected 200 million Pakistanis and should be decided as soon as possible.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2017