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Today's Paper | May 05, 2024

Updated 09 Jun, 2017 04:14pm

Hussain Nawaz appears before Panama JIT for fifth time

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's elder son Hussain Nawaz on Friday appeared, for the fifth time, before a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing allegations of money laundering against the Sharif family, DawnNews reported.

In previous sessions with the JIT Hussain explained variations in his account with regard to the family's London flats and submitted a record of the establishment, sale and purchase of Al-Azizia Steel Mills in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Steel Mills in the United Arab Emirates and further investments in steel and real estate in United Kingdom and Qatar.

He arrived at the Federal Judicial Academy, where the JIT has set up its secretariat, amid tight security, flanked by PML-N leaders.

"Action should only be taken on the basis of evidence," Hussain said, speaking to reporters outside the secretariat.

Responding to a question about the JIT photo leak, he said, "Only the people who leaked the JIT photo can explain the reasons behind doing so."

The premier's son claimed that the JIT would be unable to find any evidence against him, as there was no evidence of any wrongdoing in his affairs.

Earlier on Wednesday he had filed a request in the SC seeking the formation of a commission to investigate the 'leaking' of a CCTV image of his appearance before the JIT.

Hussain claimed in the request that the photo leak was against ethical and legal codes, adding that recording videos of the JIT's proceedings was akin to "pressurising" witnesses appearing before the body.

Hussain also alleged that JIT members have been "pressuring every witness... to change his statement and even to implicate specific persons in wrongdoing".

The PM's elder son had earlier accused two JIT members of being close to his father’s arch-nemesis, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which was rejected by the court for being premature.

On the other hand, the six-member JIT had also told the apex court that it was facing a number of impediments and problems in its probe into money-laundering allegations stemming from the Panama Papers.

In response, the bench asked the JIT head to submit an application to the court in this regard.

These apprehensions will be taken up in the open court on Monday. The bench had also directed the JIT to complete their task within the 60-day timeframe provided to them.

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