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The Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT), formed by the Supreme Court to investigate the Sharif family's business dealings, has found glaring disparities in the family's known sources of income and their actual wealth which it says the Sharif family was unable to substantiate.
The JIT's report on the probe, sections of which circulated Monday evening, suggests that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, as well as daughter Maryam Nawaz have been found in violation of Section 9 of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance, 1999.
"Significant gap/disparity amongst the known and declared sources of income and the wealth accumulated by the Respondent No. 1, 6, 7 and 8 have been observed," the JIT observed in its concluding remarks in the report.
Respondent 1 refers to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; Respondent 6 refers to Maryam Nawaz; while Respondents 7 and 8 are used to refer to Hussain and Hassan Nawaz respectively.
"The financial structure and health of companies in Pakistan having linkage to the Respondents also do no substantiate the wealth of the Respondents," it continued.
"Moreover, irregular movement of huge amounts in shape of loans and gifts from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-based company (Hill Metals Establishment), United Kingdom based companies (Flagship Investments Limited and others) and United Arab Emirates based Company (Capital FZE) to Respondent No. 1, Respondent No. 7 and Pakistan based companies of Respondent No. 1 and family have been highlighted.
"The role of off-shore companies is critically important as several offshore companies [...] have been identified to be linked with their businesses in UK while conducting this investigation. These companies were mainly used for inflow of funds into UK based companies; which not only acquired expensive properties in UK from such funds but also revolve these funds amongst their companies of UK, KSA, UAE and Pakistan."
"In addition to the companies, Respondent No. 1 and 7 have been found to be recipients of these funds movement into Pakistan as gifts/loans whose purpose/reason have not justified by them before the JIT. Needless to say, these UK companies were loss-making entities with heavily engaged in revolving of funds vis-a-vis creating a smoke screen that the expensive properties of UK were due to the business operations of these UK companies."
The JIT then refers to Section 9(a)(v) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 — which states that "A holder of public office, or any other person, is said to commit or to have committed the offence of corruption and corrupt practices [...] if he or any of his dependents or benamidars owns and possesses or has acquired right or title to any assets or holds irrevocable power of attorney in respect of any assets or pecuniary resources disproportionate to his known sources of income, which he cannot reasonably account for or maintains a standard of assets beyond that which is commensurate with his sources of income..."
The JIT also invokes Section 14(c) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, which states that: "In any trial of an offence punishable under clause (v) of sub-section (a) of Section 9 of this Ordinance, the fact that the accused person on his behalf, is in possession for which the accused person cannot satisfactorily account, of assets and pecuniary resources disproportionate to his known sources of income, or that such person has, at or about the time of the commission of the offence with which he is charged, obtained an accretion to his pecuniary resources or property for which he cannot satisfactorily account, the Court shall presume, unless the contrary is proved, that the accused person is guilty of the offence of corruption and corrupt practices and his conviction therefore shall not be invalid by reason only that it is based solely on such presumption."
Tariq Shafi's testimony fabricated?
In a section of the report dealing with the Gulf Steel Mills, the report includes what appears to be an official response from the UAE's Ministry of Justice rejecting, prima facie, key statements made by Tariq Shafi, a cousin of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and a key respondent in the case.
It says that the sale of 25pc of the shares of Al Ahli Steel (Gulf Steel Mills) in April 1980 for 12 million dirhams, as claimed by Tariq Shafi, never occurred and no record of its notarisation could be found. This statement had been a core part of the Sharif family's defence of their sources of wealth.
The UAE officials further said they found no customs record of the transport of scrap machinery from Ahli Steel Mills from Dubai to Jeddah during 2001-2002 and that, in fact, "it seemed there wasn't any scrap machinery transported from Dubai to Jeddah during 2001-2002."
There was also the revelation that there is no record of the transfer of 12m dirhams to Fahad Bin Jasim Bin Jabar Bin Al Thani by Tariq Shafi in UAE's central bank.
Supreme Court yet to pass a judgement
The Supreme Court bench overseeing the JIT, which will convene next Monday, has yet to review the report and pass a judgement.
It comprises Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ejaz Afzal, the three judges who authored the majority verdict in the Panamagate case and sought to give a chance to the Sharif family to substantiate the sources of their wealth through the JIT's probe.
The Panamagate investigation
The drawn out Supreme Court case to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for allegedly misleading the nation on his family's alleged involvement in corrupt practices, as outlined in the Panamagate case, had ended April 20 with the court ordering the formation of the JIT to probe the family's sources of wealth.
The final verdict had been split 3-2 among the five-judge bench, with the two dissenting notes from Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Gulzar Ahmed. Justice Ejaz Afzal had authored the majority opinion in the 540-page verdict.
The two judges who ruled against PM Nawaz Sharif had said he should be disqualified as he could no longer be considered 'honest' and 'truthful' (ameen and sadiq), whereas the other three were in favour of forming a JIT to definitively answer the question of whether the allegations against the prime minister were true or not.
The five-judge bench had, however, agreed that it was not satisfied with regards to the money trail provided by the Sharif family's counsels and ordered the formation of a JIT to investigate the Sharifs' business dealings abroad.
The court further said that: "upon receipt of the reports, periodic or final of the JIT, as the case may be, the matter of disqualification of respondent No. 1 [Nawaz Sharif] shall be considered. If found necessary for passing an appropriate order in this behalf, [Nawaz Sharif or any other person may be summoned and examined."
"A thorough investigation is required," Justice Khosa had concluded as he read out the the court's verdict.
Comments (111)
NS, resign now and clear your name as private citizen.
And the democratic projects hits the wall...
Chicken comes home to roost
Vanity is the first step to destruction. The family forgot how they came into political power and acquired wealth. It's a necessary phase in the evolution of the country, hopefully for the better.
Relieved to see reality is finally being made public. Politicians always trick the masses, but not the expert. |Great ready Sharifs for your fate of corruption!
SO a sitting PM elected by 50 million odd people should be sent because a JIT submitted a report for a NAB reference. Supreme court is yet to take a decision but PM should resign while the people calling for it are absconders themselves in multiple cases
and then the NAB will recommend the Anti- Corruption and so on...
Has corruption-free era of Pakistan begun? Am I dreaming?
What a shame! He should resign immediately.
Long live Imran Khan!
Just as suspected! Wonderful job JIT and SCP... This is truly historical moment for the country.
Praises for all JIT members who tolerated this humongous political pressure and still performed their job. Well done!
Still this empire wants to hang on? All the credit goes to IK for being so consistent. Excellent news for the nation and hopefully a new Pakistan is going to emerge from this downfall.
@Zeezoo,Sydney are you insane. 50 million people can't investigate. It has to be the law of the land which NS has taken an oath to.
Everyone even a ordinary citizen of any country on this earth will be investigated by the law enforcement not people on the street
Imran Khan this is your greatest ever achievement for Pakistan. Bravo Khan!
@Zeezoo,Sydney : "PM should resign but he can not be ousted because he was elected through elections"
is that your point? should we gave them impunity and allow them to continue looting the country?
The former Icelandic and South Korean premiers were also elected by their respective citizens until the charges of corruption leveled against them. That has happened because rule of law is more meaningful in the sight Korean and Icelandic nations.
dodgy dealings of House of Sharif were an open secret over the decades. the JIT simply confirmed what everybody knew. previously Mr Sharif was one of the main accused in Asghar Khan case. the million dollar question is will they be punished and retrived all the ill gotten wealth of them?
Time to go..
First. NAB has to be revamped to get rid of all those appointees who are PML-N cronies, underlings and beholding tor their position to NS. That is the only objective way the institution can work. Otherwise SC itself should proceed with actions against the family and put an end to the long winded saga and spare the nation of expense and tensions.
@Ob Agreed
Pakistan is in the right direction, remove the corrupt mafia.
So the new and unending episode about to start.
Grand champion of corruption has destroyed every fabric of my beautiful Pakistan. These looters and plunderers of this nation have to go to.
Good for democracy, civil institutions, an important demonstration of justice. The system badly needs cleaning, starting from the top.
wow , now lets see the moral authority of PM to decide if he is to resign or not
NS&Co. should be completely taken to task and made an example for the whole country.
IK gets my vote from here on. He has earned it - ethically and fairly, And for revolutionary momentum in the country. Well done. You've taken all the wickets!
At first I felt happy and relieved as I read this breaking news. But quickly this happiness turned into sorrow and my heart ached as I read through the bulletin. This gives us a snapshot of the way money is acquired, laundered and invested by these ruling elite, whereas an ordinary citizen is ready to put his life at risk merely for a couple of meals per day.
Lastly; the text sheds light on millionth fraction of the magnitude of corruption Shareefs and Zardaris and what nots have done. Dont know what else to write as I am getting tired of listening to these verdicts, trying to find something positive somewhere in the darkness and praying that one day we will rise as a nation. After Almighty, the only thing that keeps me going is the perseverance shown by Imran Khan. #imrankhan
Are we missing a thing called "moral" ? What a disgrace
Let any one who abuses powers to make his personal fortunes must be brought in to accountability. But the impression of Target Accountability must be removed. This is what we are observing in the name of JUSTICE............
Nothing new in that and nothing will happen. JIT is failed and the recommendations are just for the sake of face saving.
@Zeezoo,Sydney : Right you are. Let SC work out, what decision to take. SC will also see that there is really any concrete evidence is there too. We will know on 17 th July. It is yet premature to reach any conclusion.
Historical day for the Nation to held royal family for accountability . Thank you Imran Khan
A new puzzle to solve ...
Now NAB will confirm the JIT investigation, what a joke... this investigation will never end and until then all culprits will enjoy their public offices.
Salute to the JIT members for discharging their duties in the presence of so many threats and future fears. This nation should appreciate JIT members and acknowledge their dare and competency to handle such high profile investigation. Bravo
Wonderful- simple and straightforward accountability. Assets and liabilities NOT EQUAL to earnings. What else is needed to pass the judgement of disqualification of PM
Please give a decision quickly and firmly.
Catch them and prosecute them. Disqualification is not good enough
Absolutely damning report. A first in the history of Pakistan. As a Pakistani, I congratulate this team for calling a spade a spade.
Time for Prime Minister to leave. Pakistan is broke and needs someone like IK to run the country with all honesty.
Hence the justice is served.
Excellent. Thank you JIT members.
Let's wait for reply from PMLN. There is no smoking gun.
No prove just allegations. So JIT did what it was hired for.
Zardari next in line.
Where are the answers to 13 questions asked by Supreme Court?
Let us wait and see wether JIT has unearthed any evidence or not. Their recommendation of reference has no value in the eye of law. Let SC decide after going through detail materials of JIT report. Their recommendation is like an FIR, now let SC decide.
No conviction, another charge sheet now burden on NAB which already suffers from credibility. Does this lead us anywhere from here?
Now is the time PM should present himself and his family for accountability by resigning. PMLN should elect a candidate for PM and we go in election during 2018. It will be win win for democratic system as well as law of the land.
so where are the proofs? JIT must substantiate these allegations with proofs. accused must be considered innocent until proven guilty . Lets see what supreme court says in this regard. but whatever is the case this is start of a very long legal battle and it may take 3-4 years to reach any conclusion.
Great recommendation from JIT. NAB will file reference in accountability court, decision of accountability court can be challenged in high court, high court decision can be challenged in Supreme Court. PTI fans have to wait for 2018 elections.
@WOW Don't be so naive. Read Asma Jahangir's statement.
Though snatching of its due share in CPEC, I LIKE most of the people are and we're disappointed with PM NS.But here he seems to be paying the price for being a strong politician and thus thus serious threat to the power that be . I see a great plan behind all this . IK has to show political acumen and stop playing the cards of people who will eventually not like a strong headed IK by will bring a puppet instead .
The corrupt NS has finally been held accountable. He must resign
Please now resign. NS has lost its credibility. Not resigning even after this report implies that they know they are guilty.
Even a person like zardari would have resigned after this report :)
Thank you JIT. Big thanks to Imran Khan for never going up, although some of us had become disillusioned.
Fresh air and salute to JIT team for setting an example and not taking any pressure from Government which has not done in Pakistan ever before
@Adnan snyder Democratic process will be strengthened when civilian institutions do their work and the army won't find a hole to declare marshal law. Allowing any corrupt to evade taxes will never help democracy !
Supreme Court should make the decision based on the report of JIT. No need to get NAB involved and prolong this case. Facts are all available, getting NAB in the process is not going to change anything.
@PakiForum No doubt can't imagine it will happen in Pakistan
Resign Nawaz Sharif ,if you have any pride.
Nawaz Sharif must resign now
Time to use plea bargain law. Im sure NAB is more than capable of doing that.
what about the ill gotten wealth of others like I.K , Tareen and many more inclusive of who are called sacred cows.
In a country where there are 1.2 million tax registrants, 0.006% of the population, I am wondering how many of them including all the politicians can prove that their is no disparity between actual wealth, assets and known legitimate after tax income.
Its definitely a good development for Pakistan's future what ever happening since Panama investigation. but unless Imran Khan does not becomes Prime Minister by 2018. then there is no such Gain... its all depends on Climax
Politicians and judges come and go but one prays and hopes that Pakistan's Supreme Court will act without fear or favour to dispense justice transparently, in an even handed manner, applying laws universally, in a disinterested fashion. That it will be blind to gender, creed, employment, rank or uniform and will treat all people equally fairly. Nothing damages the welfare of a country more profoundly than the perception that it has an unfair justice system.
@Aws provided AAZ also made accountable
I want my country's looted back. We need it badly.
@MUHAMMAD ZAFAR IQBAl IK has already presented himself for accountability and the courts are free to probe him.
After Supreme Court done with Nawaz Shareef and his family,a similar JIT, should investigate Mr.all time clean Asif Ali Zadari ,Imran Khan,and all the heads of religious parties.
@Ob - How can you clear if you are guilty.
Nawaz Sharif must resign or be disqualified under Article 63. He has harmed the country by dragging it in his Panama scandal for the last one year. Enough is enough. He has 'lied', and could not provide the money trail for his huge wealth overseas? All his ministers who had given press conferences abusing and threatening the Supreme Court and JIT must be charged with 'contempt' of court and punished. No politician or his family can be above the law.
Mian saheb is too powerful..He is the only prime minister having business connection with all gulf sheikhs and vast empire in europe and US..Soon he will become one of the richest man in the planet..
Game set and match. Well done JIT, it would seem that there are still some honest people in Pakistan who cannot be bought or corrupted. And may be it is because of these people that Pakistan will keep going forward, be it slow. But still people of Pakistan deserve better.
@citizen You are making assumptions he will live forever!? Even Bill Gates does have such dreams.
Sad! PM is not being seen above board. Let's hope better political sense prevails in all political parties. Long live Pakistan.
If the Sharifs don't pay their taxes why should anyone pay? Very patriotic.
@Asif ..... Looks like Asif Zardari won't be elected prime minister after this.
This is ray of hope in justice in Pakistan MashaAllah.
Salute to IK for believing in this struggle,Good start, way to go.I humbly request my countrymen to come together in this struggle for a strong democratic merit based institutions.I just came from APPNA convention in Orlando.We are ready to invest a lot of capital and expertise in our motherland.Please choose the honest people and do not follow anyone blindly.
very surprised, this is happening first time in the history of Pakistan.
@Harmony-1© Rightly said yaar.
@alba nice try but it's a lot more than taxes
Hats off to the brave, industrious, upright members of the JIT! Let us hope the case ends with the conviction and punishment of these mega corrupt persons, and then others of their ilk who have been doing the same are brought to book and a new era begins for Pakistan.
I wish it to be first drop of torrential rain against corruption. May it be a defining moment in our history.
Verdict has no bearing on democracy in Pakistan. It is finding of a commission on against few people. Democracy does not begin and end with Mawaz Sharif, It did not happen when Gills I was sent home not Drmocracy will end if Naeaz is sent home. Other people even on Muslim league will take over. Pakistan had survived the deaths of Quaid and Bhutto.
Offering up one sacrificial civilian representative rather than strengthening and reforming institutions to apply accountability universally, including on bureaucrats, judges, police and military without fear or favour towards any uniform is not going to help the country. Selective justice is victimization or injustice specially when misuse of authority has not been transparently proven. If now all the current SC judges and also the top 30 generals should go through a similar, publicly humiliating JIT process, I would be satisfied that justice is done.
They were corrupt and now they are honest but past can't be forgotten
Sorry pakistan, Mina, Biwi and Bachay are still innocent. What about poor working class of pakistan ?
ALL PMLN mafia should be arrested from institutions. These include NAB, SECP, FBR, Election commission, PIA, Railways, Power companies, Intelligence/Security,, Police, local judiciary, Financial institutions even Health , PMDC and HEC. Clean up and new Pakistan will be born,
Credit goes to Imran Khan for his perseverance. He has achieved more than any political operative without being in power than he perhaps would have as Prim minster. His tenacity has paid off.
Why is it so difficult, get a few good CA's in Pakistan and they should be able to correlate tax returns, financial statements and cash flows within two weeks
We want a neat and clean Pakistan for our next generation. These corrupt politicians should be punished as per law and the ill-gotten wealth recovered from them for deposit into the public exchequer. The process of accountability should not be stopped here, but it must continue till the dream of a corrupt-free society is realized.
Any decent person with an iota of integrity would resign after this. It remains to be seen if decency and integrity exist in the dictionary of Nawaz Sharif and PML-N.
Come-on Mr. Prime Minister please resign with respect.
JIT found it now... entire nation knew it years ago... nevertheless, now their corruption is officially acknowledged by SC. hope they are indicted and punished as per law. wonder, with or without punishment whether any Pakistani national will ever vote for them or this party.
By looking at the comments, it is hard to believe that this person was elected by majority in Pakistan while the majority as it seems is against the man
what about our money ? will SC act to get laundered money back to Pak ?
let's clean up the town, transparent government
@Adnan snyder this is exactly what happens in a democracy. It's called checks and balance. The judiciary is separate from the executive and the legislative.
Justice has been served. Hope it will encourage all Pakistanis to stand up against corruption at all levels.
SC, we wait to hear the decision ... the mafia needs to be dealt with.
Sharif family is in commercial politics : there here to make money not to serve country they are running country for almost 35 years look at poverty level it has gone up people practically gave their lives for one liter of petrol which is not shameful but also unforgettable sin for sharif family they have stolen so much money in the form of commission from big projects which could have been spent on health . Education ,and housing and so many other reason but regretfully they even don't understand how to do work on but miserably fail to acknowledge
May Justice prevail and we may get to see the strength of LAW. May this be the beginning of a Pakistan free of corrupt leaders (HUKUMRAN as they call themselves...)
He should first resign and face inquires.
@alba Taxes you pay on income that you earn. Have you heard of Pablo Escobar of the Columbian fame caught cheating on his taxes? We have moved way beyond. These are serious crimes committed, each one of them punishable under the penal code. Trivializing the crimes of the Sharif family is only for the apologists. Let's move on.
Is it hidden ...Pakistan for elite is the biggest source of income at the expense of poor..
Is there no shame?
So,, the Inventors of the Doctrine of Necessity,
And,
The Beneficiaries of the Doctrine of Necessity,
are back being hand in glove.