Nawaz Sharif questions credibility of Panama case probe team head

Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday questioned the credibility of the testimony given by Wajid Zia, who headed the Panama case investigation team which probed his assets last year.

Addressing media outside the accountability court that was hearing corruption cases against him and his family, Sharif, represented by his lawyers, accused Zia of attempting to hide facts related to the cases.

He claimed that Zia had admitted that he had no proof of him (Sharif) taking a salary from his son's company, which was one of the reasons cited by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to disqualify him from holding the office of prime minister.

Referring to the joint investigation team (JIT) formed during the Panama Papers case hearing last year, Sharif was quoted by GEO TV, as saying, "that three of the six JIT 'stars', who were selected through 'WhatsApp', were our bitter political opponents as their family members were active members or ticket holders of the PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]".

He also questioned the inclusion in the JIT of army officers from the country's military intelligence agencies.

"My case was not a terrorism case. I was not working against the federation. What was the need to include these agencies [in the JIT]. This is a pertinent question which needs to be asked," he insisted.

He maintained that the JIT probe had been ordered on him as an act of revenge.

(ANI)