Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, on Wednesday appeared before the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the Sharif family’s business dealings abroad.
When she went to the JIT secretariat, Maryam was accompanied by her husband, Captain Safdar; brothers, Hassan and Hussain; Minister of Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb; the PM’s Special Assistant Asif Kirmani; and women capital police officers.
A number of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) workers, especially from the party’s women wing, had also turned up near the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) to show support for Maryam.
Later, while addressing a press conference outside the FJA in Islamabad after recording her statement before the JIT, Maryam appeared composed, but sternly dismissed reporters’ questions multiple times during her speech.
“I answered whatever questions they [the JIT] asked me ... I tried to answer with honesty,” she said. “I asked the JIT what the accusation against us [the Sharif family] is. They had no answer to my question,” she said.
She took particular issue with the JIT’s probe into her family’s private businesses, saying nobody had a right to look into the private accounts of the Sharif family’s businesses.
“If public money was involved, then we are answerable, but that is not the case regarding private businesses,” she said.
“Those who have cases of misuse of public funds open against them have petitioned for stay orders. We [however] can justify our properties and have been doing so,” she said.
“Why are those who have no businesses and no source of income not being questioned?” she asked, making a veiled reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, who was also accused by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar of owning wealth beyond his means.
“They thought my father would be pressured by using his daughter’s name,” she said. “Those who think Nawaz Sharif’s daughter is his weakness will find she is his strength.”
“Those who have no regard for daughters and family values will never understand these things,” she added, in what appeared to be another attack aimed at Khan.
“If you are targeting me because I am Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, I will fight back because I am his daughter.”
“We could have taken immunity and hidden, we could have absconded from the courts and gone to Nathia Gali, but we presented ourselves for accountability.”
The prime minister’s daughter also warned her father’s detractors that they should fear the day PM Sharif brings out the skeletons from their closets.
“The secrets he carries and the conspiracies against him — don’t push him to the point where he must reveal those,” she said.
“If you conspire against Nawaz Sharif, he will return stronger than before ... He will become PM for the fourth, fifth time. Stop him if you can,” she said.
“Stop him or the power crisis will end. Stop him or the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will be completed. Stop him or he will win the 2018 election.”
The PM’s daughter is the eighth member of the Sharif family to be summoned by the JIT.
Senior leader of PTI Fawad Chaudhry said on Wednesday that Maryam’s appearance before JIT is not because of PTI but due to the statement of her brother Hussain Nawaz.
Talking to media persons here, he said that Hussain declared Maryam as trustee of the flats and also conceded ownership. It was the reason JIT summoned Maryam, he added.
Fawad Chaudhry said that Hussain was summoned following statement of the Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. Now Maryam has been summoned after the statement given by Hussain, he added.
He cast doubt over the transactions of the Sharif family.
Opposition Leader Syed Khurshid Shah said that Nawaz should expose the conspirators.
Speaking to the media, opposition leaders said that Panama scandal is a national level issue and it would have been better the premier quit his post before appearing before the investigation team. He added the premier is trying to save his tenure, adding that it could be dangerous for the democracy and will weaken the institutions.
He said the premier should take a decision and expose the conspirators, otherwise he will be responsible for all the losses.
