Probe into Panamagate progresses
PM’s children submit responses to court
Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s three children submitted their replies in the Panama Papers case before a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court here Monday.
In compliance with the court’s directive issued at the last hearing four days ago, Sharif family’s lawyer submitted statements on behalf of PM’s daughter Maryam Nawaz and sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz.
The court was told by PM’s children that they are not dependent on their father and are running their businesses as sole proprietors.
It was stated that Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz have been living abroad for 16 and 22 years respectively.
They rejected allegations levelled against them by Imran Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who is one of he five petitioners in the case.
Maryam Nawaz state in her reply that she is a tax payer and has been filing tax returns as required by the law. She clarified that she is not the beneficiary owner of two offshore companies Nielsen and Nescoll but only a trustee.
Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali remarked that as the ownership of companies is accepted, now the owners must satisfy the court that all the legal formalities were duly completed and the money was transferred through legal means.
PM’s counsel sought 15 days to submit required evidences but the court allowed seven days and ordered all the parties to submit documents by next hearing and adjourned the case until Nov 15.
On the last hearing the PM’s counsel had submitted a concise statement on behalf of Nawaz Sharif who submitted that he was not the owner of any offshore company or flats in London.
It was stated that the prime minister’s name did not appear in the Panama Papers nor have any accusations been made against him in these papers.
The statement also said none of the children of prime minister is his dependent nor any of them has been declared as his dependent in tax returns as well as the wealth statement filed with the Election Commission.
On November one the court had decided to set up a single-judge commission to probe Panama papers leaks.
