Panamagate JIT to submit final report in Pak SC

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the offshore assets of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in connection with the Panamagate case, will submit its fourth and final report to the Supreme Court on 10 July.

The PML-N government has said the investigation report will not be accepted by it, as a statement of former Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani, a key defence witness, is still expected.

Along with the evidence, the report will consist of the statements of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif; the PM's children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz Sharif; son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar; Prime Minister's cousin Tariq Shafi; friend Javed Kayani and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is the father-in-law of the Prime Minister's younger daughter.

In the April 20 verdict, the Supreme Court gave JIT two months to find out answers to 13 questions related to the money trail of Sharif properties in London. The apex court fixed July 10 as the day for receiving the report from the JIT.

The JIT report may not be as damaging for the ruling family as they are anticipating. "Though it won't be pleasant, it is not the worst for the Sharif family as such," the Dawn quoted a source, as saying.

During the period of over two months , the JIT interrogated some seven members of the Sharif family :Nawaz's elder son Hussain appeared before the panel six times,his younger brother appeared thrice including Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, premier's daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Capt (retd) Safdar, and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Qatari Prince Hamad Bin Jassim bin Jaber al Thani is the prime defence of PM Nawaz Sharif in the case as the Prince has supported the Sharifs money trail through two separate letters.

Qatari Prince declined to appear before the JIT team in Pakistan rather the prince instead asked the JIT to record his statement at his palace in Qatar.

The case hinges on two parallel money trails for the Park Lane apartments: one based on the Rehman Malik investigation, and the other provided by Hussain Nawaz to the apex court.

The 'forced confession' of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is also being used to establish a case against the Sharif family.The JIT summoned almost all important persons named in both the Rehman Malik report and Mr Dar's 'confession'.A British-Pakistani Kashif Mehmood Qazi, was also summoned. According to Rehman Malik's account, four bank accounts in the Qazi family's name were used to allegedly launder the Sharifs' money.

The JIT also summoned National Bank of Pakistan CEO Saeed Ahmed, and some officials from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), among others.

The investigation team had managed to include the Qazi statement.

A five-member SECP team headed by the head of Companies Registration Office (CRO) based in Lahore on Friday submitted additional record related to the companies of the Sharif family including Hudaibya Paper Mills, Chaudhry Sugar Mills and Ittefaq Foundries to the JIT.

Prime Minister's Special Assistant Asif Kirmani had already stressed again that the JIT report will have "no credibility" if does not include the statement of Qatari prince Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabar Al-Thani.

-ANI