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Nawaz Sharif did not conceal employment in UAE company: PM's lawyer submits reply in SC
In a reply submitted before the Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday evening, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's lawyer, Khawaja Harris, denied the allegation that his client had concealed his employment at Capital FZE, an offshore company which was unearthed by the joint investigation team (JIT) probing money laundering allegations against the Sharif family.
"The allegation that the employment with Capital FZE was concealed by [the prime minister] is totally false," reads the reply, which was submitted before the apex court a day after the three-member bench reserved its judgement in the case.
The reply elaborates that the prime minister was an employee at the Dubai-based company and had received an iqama (work permit) from the Gulf State ─ as claimed by PML-N leaders and Sharif's legal team earlier during the Panamagate hearings.
A copy of the premier's passport bearing the work permit was annexed to the 2013 nomination papers along with a document of his employment at the company, according to the reply.
The documents were attached to the nomination forms as "there was no separate column in the forms for any such information to be provided," the reply says.
Last week, Harris had conceded before the SC that Hassan Nawaz — the son of the prime minister — was the owner of Capital FZE.
He claimed that though the prime minister was the designated chairman of the board, he did not draw any salary. The reply submitted before the court on Saturday does not make any statements about whether or not the premier received a salary as an employee of the firm.
In its report submitted before the apex court on July 10, the JIT said that Sharif did not disclose that he was the chairman of Capital FZE before running for the post of prime minister in 2013.
Comments (43) Closed
Probably the docs attached in the official election commission records in the last few days Anything can happen there I have no trust in institutions
No, perhaps he was too ashamed to mention that he was making only 10,000 Dirhams (or mere $2800/ Rs, 250k) a month in UAE. That's the average pay of a Indo-Pak Accountant, mid-level manager with Desi qualifications and no special skills.
Or simply, he forgot to mention all those years he spent in Dubai, working for a small Freezone Company for pittance of pay, while living in 50 Million Dirham Mansion in the most expensive part of Dubai? Put two and two together and you can see why he cannot justify owning an expensive property while earning regular pay check??
Yes we agree, he did not hide anything but elected not to disclose it to the tax authorities.
Yet another attempt to retreive the situation as an afterthought at the eleventh hour. Why did they not submit it before. Election Commission is not an impartial body like the rest of the institutions.
When Mr. Harris came to know this fact? When all proceedings concluded, he is submitting the reply. Bravo !
10,000 Dirhams ,equivalent to $2800 /month, it is peanut compared to $millions he already has. That is why he keeps on forgetting.
"The allegation that the employment with Capital FZE was concealed by [the prime minister] is totally false," reads the reply, which was submitted before the apex court a day after the three-member bench reserved its judgement in the case".
This clearly establishes the fact that the documents had been submitted not during the investigation and or trial, but rather completion of both; that is " a day after the three-member bench reserved its judgement in the case".
Thus, as a matter of principle, the document carries no weight now or at this stage, given the fact that, the court is about to give its final verdict based on the evidences received during the investigation and the trial!
Analytically it means, that the documents had been withheld on purpose or deliberately by the defendant till the time the matter was made publicly known!
However, it is up to the honorable court to consider admissibility in accordance with the existing laws of a document not submitted in time!
The legal team of the PM's family have changed the story so many, it is difficult for us to believe him even if he tells the truth.
Why we always like to capture the PM and big politicians? We must also get the lower ranks politicians and employees who make money laundering and stealing possible for these PM and big rank individuals. Always, the lower rank facilitate illegal activities for the super rank people. Both should be punished.
It is about time that Pakistan should take care of both corruption and eradicate landlords curse going on since our independence.
@ABRAR- KSA they had to first manufacture the evidence and documents. it takes time and can only be done after that accusation is made CAse solved
I think nomination papers have also been tapered. Need forenzic check how old is the writing? Returning Officers cannot distinguish between visa ans aqama affixed on the passport. Did Nawaz Sharif attach his Service Contract showing salary and other terms of his contract? These things are not available in aqama stamp affixed on the passport. It seems another forgery.
@ABE : Good legal argument. Living beyond his means..
To little to late
just time pass going on. in india and pak nothing goes against politicians. only common people suffers.
It is disgusting to know that the man who is under oath to devote all his time and total, undivided loyalty to the country and give all his energy and serve his country as its chief public servant has deceptively dishonest his oath for financial reward by a foreign company. This is betrayal of public trust and the man must be punished for this crime.
No body knew about this co. till GIT reported. Another fake document after the court decision has been reserved. Height of corruption!
Corruption Mafia PML-N is giving all the excuses except for the real money trail.
Another forgery, this time ECP. SC should also include ECP in to investigation. Corrupts has ruined all the institutions inPakistan. So Sad!!!!
First Sharif's deny everything found by JIT, now One by One, they are accepting their list of corruption.
What a farce? The SC reserved the judgement, the "documents" keep following. Without being cross-examined what is the legal value of these documents? Had PM not concealed anything regarding FZE, why they were initially perturbed over JIT disclosure? How much lies they would tell more?
The judgement has already been reserved; you really should have submitted whatever you are submitting during the court hearings. It's like scoring goals after both teams have gone back to the dressing room!
Records changed there. If no then EC to be investigated
After the Chairman of SECP anything can happen. All departments are under the control of government.
Amazing......submitted AFTER the all hearings have been closed. This obviously is for public consumption because what little I know of the law...legally its worthless now.
Looks like every department has Naseem Hijazi type people to temper records as per need basis, to satisfy courts, as a second thought. Unfortunately can't find same Naseem Hijazi type people in other European countries to get Fake Documents to prove Pappa's properties.
Hidden or not,it was beneath the dignity of the office of the prime minister.Proves one more time that this family would do anything for money.
Nothing can be added after the hearing is closed, it is delaying tactic .Non resident Pakistanis ( With Aqama) are denied voting rights, how can they contest election, Election Commission should have dis qualified him.
reply after tempring in election commission records.
By law a serving PM cannot get any salary from any business or partnership. At least this is how things work in the land of law and justice.
after 30 years from today, historians will prefer not to write anything about PMLN/ PPP ... altogether may be one liner sentence will be used as do we use for corrupt mughal emperors who did notihing except making villas/ gardens for themselves and pondering over new ways to stay young. what a pity for us, we are being led by such self centred leaders for last 30 years... whereas the beaming new light is being shunned away by entire corrupt and fragile system... let's see if judiciary can deliver upto expectations of masses... otherwise we have to wait another 10/15 years for some humans to rule us again... if we survive that long.
What are the lawyers and PML(N) supporters trying to defend ...that they can't tell the nation where the money came from to buy millions of dollars worth of apartments and why the family made such contradictory statements....it is just shameful what we have become as a nation....
collective moral failure has been exposed of the political elite and their subservient govt departments....
At the end of the day, Sharif sahib is just like rest of us. He also dreamt of getting a job in Dubai!! And earns the same salary as an average jo-block office accountant.
@billy I am surprised that you have no trust in institutions. How did Nawaz come to this position? Through institutional investigation. Its not just one institution, but several.
The PM is in trouble because the Election Commission kept a copy of his nomination papers. That is an institution. Under Pakistan Election laws a PM is not elected directly by the people. The people elect MNAs. One MNA can then go on to become PM.
MNAs are allowed to have other businesses or work. Otherwise only the rich will be able to become MNAs.
@ABE Its what we call a stipend. Most chairman's do not get a big salary, they get a stipend. A lot of businessmen become chairmen of several organizations, and they draw a stipend from each. Its a business practice to bring different industries together.
I wonder how the PLM-N supporters feel about their leader having another job while he was PM of Pakistan? Was he so hard up that he needed more income? The explanation given was so lame, that he needed the kaama (work permit) to be able to travel to Dubai without any problems....well all I can say is that after being the PM twice you expected travel problems then you should not be Pakistans PM.
In a time of so many lies, deciet, lack of integrity and rampant 'lifafa' journalism, the entire nation will pay a collective price, eventually. And that will definitely be a huge price.
All our leaders including Zardari Sharjeel Memon hold iqama and fake employment contracts or have companies registered in their name
@aleem means the same thing.
He was supposed to run the parliament and not a company in UAE. This is why, he seldom attended NA sessions, but rather kept busy with his job for 10k Durham, which is lower than my salary. I don't live in £50 million Jati Umra mansion though. So, it means, he is corrupt and has been throughout his life!
I wonder at the competence and skills of PM's lawyers who submit clarifications and arguments after the hearings are closed and judgement is reserved.
As per the statement of the PM's counsel, if there are / were no relevant columns in the "Election Nomination Papers" than how can it be trusted that his UAE Visa copy had been attached to those Nomination Papers at that time and now now.
@ABE Sharif family has no source of income to account for massive and expensive properties all over the world and billion of rupees gifts given to each other. father has no income but sons gift him billions every year from abroad. Daughter and son in law have no income but father gifts him millions but then father has no income himself. Strange!