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.

Opinion

Editorial

Open discord
29 Mar, 2023

Open discord

It is now seen that even the country’s top judges are not immune to uncharitable public opinion after they hang up their robes.
A milestone
29 Mar, 2023

A milestone

WITH Humza Yousaf poised to become First Minister of Scotland’s semi-autonomous government, some of the top public...
A grave hazard
29 Mar, 2023

A grave hazard

IN these stressful times, all distractions are welcome. According to a recent report, carried by this paper, the...
Internal chaos
28 Mar, 2023

Internal chaos

The govt seems to be having great trouble asserting itself while remaining within the limits of the law.
Health insurance
28 Mar, 2023

Health insurance

IT is frustrating to watch a major public welfare initiative meant to ensure universal health coverage for 25m...
HDT chief’s detention
28 Mar, 2023

HDT chief’s detention

RATHER than lending a sympathetic ear to the people of Balochistan, the state’s response more often than not is to...