Dear reader, online ads enable us to deliver the journalism you value. Please support us by taking a moment to
Senior PML-N ministers addressed a press conference Tuesday evening in an effort to counter rising political pressure on the bigwigs of the ruling party.
The crux of the PML-N's message was that the Supreme Court-sanctioned joint investigation team (JIT) that had investigated the Sharif family's business dealings had submitted a flawed report, which would be challenged in court. One minister went so far as to term the report a product of a wide-ranging conspiracy, alleging that the strings were being pulled by unnamed actors — some of them abroad.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar opened the press conference with a suggestion for concerned parties to exercise restraint.
"Yesterday, the Supreme Court took notice of what is being said in the media about the case. Everyone should show patience like we have," he said.
"The JIT report is not final," he continued.
"There are significant gaps in the report, as much as we have seen it. There are photocopies [included in the report], some of which are not signed and which the JIT itself asks the Supreme Court to determine whether they hold any evidentiary value."
The minister also remarked that the report doesn't prove Nawaz Sharif's ownership of any off-shore company.
"While our [legal team] team is working [on the report], I am putting my portion in front of you right now," the finance minister recalled.
Dar proceeded to recount his experience with the JIT, claiming he only found out on July 3 that his tax returns from 1981-2002 had not been provided to the team by the Federal Bureau of Revenue.
"I told them that I will take disciplinary action against those who did not provide you with the requisite documents and I will send you the documents," he claimed to have told the JIT.
"I told them that my tax guy had told me that after Gen Musharraf's coup, my tax record had been seized by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). I told them that NAB is your institution and you should find it; and if you cannot find it then I will find it on my own. I retrieved my tax records and sent them my returns from 2003-7 immediately on the same day," he claimed.
"At 8.55pm, they were delivered to the JIT. I have the receipt," he claimed.
The finance minister then detailed his 'hectic efforts' to dig out old records from NAB's Lahore and Islamabad offices and send the same to the FBR.
Dar proceeded to contradict each of the conclusions drawn by the JIT after interrogating him, insisting that all his wealth can be traced and his statements audited.
"I challenge them that my record will be reconciled till the last penny," he claimed.
Railways Minister Saad Rafique took the mic next, starting his bit by saying that the JIT should have presented anything they had against each respondent to the accused individuals.
Also read: PM's assets saw 'exorbitant hike' during his first tenure: JIT report
"The basic rule for every investigation is that you should present anything you have against an accused," he said.
"The JIT's report is based in part on some stories, and the rest on making a mountain out of a mole hill," he said.
"One more thing," he continued, "We feel that a JIT consisting of six people cannot have done so much work in 60 days, even if they worked 24 hours a day," Rafique alleged.
"This was a well-planned action and it was in the making for the last year and a half," he claimed.
"Some of the characters of this 'Panama drama' are [pulling the strings from] outside Pakistan," he alleged.
Rafique later built on his 'international conspiracy' remark, claiming that "When Nawaz Sharif decided to go for a nuclear explosion, he knew he would pay for it and did so. Likewise, when he decided on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, he knew he would pay for it. Some powers do not like this. The game will unfold some day. [Meanwhile] we will fight the legal battle and the political battle," he said.
He also turned his sights on the PPP, saying that the party should "look under its own charpayi" before they started talking about corruption, in an apparent invocation of public perceptions of wrongdoing and misappropriation that have dogged the Asif Ali Zardari-led party.
Turning on Imran Khan, Rafique alleged that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief had received foreign funding and had yet to explain them to the Election Commission.
In an apparent reference to the Supreme Court summoning transcripts of his recent speeches, Rafique said that "I have been doing speeches since my youth and will continue to do so."
"I request the Supreme Court to [also] take notice of the speeches made by [PPP's] Aitzaz Ahsan, [PTI's] Imran Khan and [AML's] Sheikh Rashid," he added.
Barrister Zafarullah took the mic next to 'clear the air' about the usage of the Calibri font by Maryam Nawaz in a document that was discredited by the JIT because the font was released for public use a year after the document was said to have been authored.
"Please Google and see that [the font] was released in August 2004," the PML-N leader claimed.
Read more: JIT report raises doubts about use of 'Calibri' font in papers submitted by Maryam
Strategy meeting earlier in the day
Top PML-N officials had met earlier at the PM House on Tuesday to discuss the party's legal and political strategy following the submission to the apex court of a damning inquiry report probing the Sharif family's wealth a day earlier.
The 'unofficial' meeting was held to review the Supreme Court-sanctioned joint investigation team's report, according to DawnNews.
Sources said the PML-N's legal team briefed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the JIT report. Participants of the meeting also discussed points of argument regarding the report that could be raised in court.
Comments (33)
These ministers got not work to do, no state affairs to run?
Anything not in favor of PML-N will always be termed a conspiracy! It is unfortunate that we have inherited incompetent ministers who have zero integrity and are intellectually dishonest to the core!
Coming out daily, these ministers got not work to do, no state affairs to run?
These people are unbelievable..caught with their hands in the cookie jar but still denying it...
Ridiculous comment by Saad rafique
Talashi shuru and respondents now panicking to justify their positions. What was ishaq dar doing at the time JIT requested his tax details?
Dar means to say 'everyone other than PML-N is a liar?
If they have any semblance of honour left, they should resign enmasse.
Mr. Saad You are looking personal secretary of prime minister .. i want to remind you that you are the railway minister of Pakistan ...
The complete team has been exposed and now they are lieing to save their wealth.
Love u Khan salute
From London
Too late to cry foul, find faults in the JIT report or question the methods. You had your opportunity to come clean and tell the truth. Instead, you lot created fiasco by lies, fabrications and lack of cooperation with the investigators.
You reap what you sow. Resign, face the consequences and live rest of your lives hiding faces from the disgrace. I have neither any sympathy nor much respect for those who have been exposed with such corrupt methods to enrich themselves.
PML N should understand that justify doubles and the fault and two wrong cannot make one right. The more they argue the worse they look.
So, we can expect no ministry to function at all, as all the Cabinet members are singularly focused on saving the sinking Sharif ship. Forget about what their real duties require of them.
nice speech by both great leaders of PMLN. heart touch and very motivating. its good both are so God fearing and charitable persons.
however, where's the missing money trail about which SC is waiting for ?.
PM Nawaz Sharif says there is a 'conspiracy' against him? Why would hundreds of international investigative journalists who exposed Panama scandals, conspire against Nawaz Sharif family? If there is any conspiracy, then its the Nawaz Sharif family who conspired to plunder the country, set up secret offshore companies and bank accounts and transfer billions? Why did he not give banking details showing money trail to the Supreme Court? That's because he is 'guilty' of wealth acquired by fraud, commissions and money laundering. He has seriously harmed the country. He must resign immediately. No politician or his family can be above the law.
The fight is yet to go a short way but be rational & receptive as regards the court proceedings and eventual verdict. You cannot defend something which has no ace of base...
All these excuses won't work.
Calibri (/kəˈliːbri/) is a humanist sans-serif typeface family designed by Lucas de Groot in 2004 and reached the general public on January 30, 2007, with the release of Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista on that date.
Just now checked google. Barrister zafarulla is lying through his teeth. Contrary to his claim, Calibri font was released to use to thr public by microsoft in yesr 2007, and not 2004. It was invented in 2004, but had not reached public till 2007.
Without its final 10th chapter, the report is already inconclusive and incomplete.
These ministers are paid to do state work not defend the PM. Let him do it himself. Zardari should be next in line . How did Bhuttos take money outside Pakistan
This shows there is no pride and honor in pak, neither the politicians nor the people.
I just don't and will never get it. What do the Railways Minister and the Defence Minister (yesterday) have to do with the Prime Minister's financial corruption case? Absolutely ridiculous. What a sorry party PMLN is.
I googled it :
"Calibri (/kəˈliːbri/) is a humanist sans-serif typeface family designed by Lucas de Groot in 2004 and reached the general public on January 30, 2007, with the release of Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista on that date"
Supreme Court take a good step to investigate pm family , now other top political leaders must be investigate
Pakistan's highest court of law the Supreme Court of Pakistan must deliver the judgement that will rest countries corrupt political individuals and corrupt Pakistani's behind jail bars forever. These and such others must be severely punished and must never be allowed to be seen again in public and political offices ever again. Justice must be delivered for existence of sovereign PAKISTAN's dignity and dignity of its Supreme Judicial government organ i.e. Supreme Court of Pakistan. Long live Pakistan. Pakistan Paindabad-Pakistan Zindabad.
He should go to court and prove his innocence. Present documents how and where he earned (amassed) all that wealth?
The SC should take Suo Moto action.
Ministers are members of the government ..for the people. They are not paid to use the Press Information Department and Ministerial time to defend the Sharif family, even if one is PM. It is the private businesses of the Sharifs under investigation not government policy or performance.
We also now want to know how much in kickbacks did the Sharif family and friends receive for the mega projects? Such as CPEC, Lahore airport, bus projects, etc. This can be covered in JIT part 2, soon to come, inshaAllah.
They actually think the people of Pakistan are taking them seriously.
Dear Barrister Zafarullah, you may want to google in URDU because it seems like you are not really good with the English language. The font, calibri, was created in 2004. It was not until 2007 the font was made available for public and professional use. Shame that we have such people working for Govt.
Yes the minister is right that Calibri font was designed by Lucas de Groot in 2004 but was available for use only in 2007 only, so nobody could have used it before 2007
Googled it and it was released in 2007. Shame