Hussain Nawaz appears before Panama Papers JIT for sixth time

Published July 4, 2017
Hussain Nawaz arrives at FJA to appear before the JIT

Hussain Nawaz, the elder son of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, arrived at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) on Tuesday to appear before the six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) investigating money laundering allegations against the Sharif family.

This is Hussain's sixth appearance before the probe team. His brother Hassan Nawaz faced the JIT on Monday, while his sister Maryam Nawaz will appear before the team for the first time on Wednesday.

Hussain arrived amid tight security at the FJA, where a large number of PML-N supporters welcomed him.

Hussain Nawaz waves to supporters outside FJA.— DawnNews
Hussain Nawaz waves to supporters outside FJA.— DawnNews

Following Hassan's appearance, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also faced the JIT on Monday in connection with the probe, which has entered its final week.

The minister, who is also the father-in-law of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s younger daughter, is the eighth member of the extended Sharif family to be summoned for questioning by the JIT.

Read: 'What are we accused of,' Hassan Nawaz asks at third JIT appearance

Question­ing the way the JIT is conducting the Panama Papers probe, Dar on Monday again disowned the confessional statement he signed in the year 2000, linking the Sharif family with money laundering in the Hudaibya Paper Mills case.

Speaking to reporters outside the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA), Dar termed the confession he signed 17 years ago “a piece of trash”.

The finance minister told mediapersons that he had provided the JIT with each and every detail of the London properties.

JIT refused to send questionnaire to Qatari prince: Kirmani

Speaking to the media outside the FJA, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Asif Kirmani stressed again that the JIT report will have "no credibility" if does not include the statement of Qatari prince Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabar Al-Thani.

Asif Kirmani talks to reporters.

"This inquiry report will remain incomplete... until the statement of our main defence, the Qatari prince, is included in the report in person or otherwise," he said.

He said the Qatari royal had requested the JIT to send him the questionnaire so he could answer all their questions but the "JIT informed him in writing that he could not be sent the questionnaire".

Kirmani asked whether this was not tantamount to "murdering the justice".

He said all requirements of justice should be met in the Panama Papers leaks case.

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