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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Monday demanded that the inquiry into the assets of the Sharif family not be held in camera as the joint investigation team (JIT) constituted under a Supreme Court order conducted an orientation visit to its newly-allocated secretariat.
“We will not accept in-camera proceedings of the JIT,” PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry told Dawn.
He was reacting to reports that JIT members, led by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director General Wajid Zia, had visited the Federal Judicial Academy — the premises selected by the apex court for the team — for an orientation.
Media reports suggested that JIT members examined security arrangements as well as the facilities being provided to the team under the May 4 Supreme Court order.
PTI insists probe body shouldn’t work in camera
The team is expected to commence regular meetings in a couple of days, since it has to submit progress reports to the Supreme Court every fortnight.
On May 4, a three-judge special bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, had announced the composition of the six-man team.
Led by FIA DG Zia, the team will consist of State Bank of Pakistan officer Amer Aziz, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Executive Director Bilal Rasool, National Accountability Bureau’s Balochistan Director General Irfan Naeem Mangi, retired Brig Mohammad Nauman Saeed of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Brig Kamran Khurshid from Military Intelligence (MI).
The JIT was constituted in line with the April 20 Supreme Court judgement in the Panama Papers case.
The court has already ordered the federal government to apportion a fund of Rs20 million so that JIT can function independently and does not feel handicapped in its working.
“We are concerned that the JIT did not issue any handout on Monday after holding its maiden meeting,” said PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry, adding: “Therefore, nobody knows what transpired during the meeting”.
He said that PTI would never accept a closed-door meeting, and warned that the party could petition the Supreme Court or hold protests demanding live coverage, or at the very least, open proceedings of the investigation team. “This concerns the 20 million people, being a public interest case,” he said.
When the JIT commences its work, it will enjoy the power to engage and associate local or foreign experts to facilitate both the investigation and the collection of evidence, in line with the letter and spirit of the Panama Papers case judgment.
The JIT will also have all powers given under laws relating to investigation, including those available in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 1898, National Accountability Ordinance 1999 and the Federal Investigation Agency Act, 1975.
As the JIT, in essence, is acting on the directions of the Supreme Court, all executive authorities throughout Pakistan are supposed to act in its aid.
If and when any person fails or refuses to associate with or appear before the JIT or refuses to cooperate or provide oral or documentary information, the same should be immediately brought to the notice of the Supreme Court for taking appropriate action, the order had said.
Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2017
