Panama Case: SC special bench's first hearing today

ISLAMABAD: To ensure implementation of apex court’s verdict on Panamagate scandal, a three-member special bench of Supreme Court has been formed to monitor the Joint Investigation Team (JIT)’s operations which would hold its first hearing on Wednesday (today), ARY News reported.

A special section has also been formed for JIT by appointing a coordinator to manage all communication between the bench and the JIT.

Additional Registrar Muhammad Ali has been assigned the task of the liaison communicator.

The Supreme Court’s special bench comprises Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan to monitor the JIT’s probe.

Moreover, the newly appointed liaison officer will be assisted by deputy registrar and assistant registrar during the JIT hearings.

As per Supreme Court’s orders, the JIT has been tasked to produce a report and apprise the bench with its latest updates in every 15 days.

The additional registrar, coordinator, will forward all latest updates to the bench and consequently, it will forward the directions issued by the bench to the JIT. 

It is worth mentioning here that a case in the top court was filed seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for allegedly being involved in corruption by taking away the nation’s wealth to foreign countries, as outlined in the Panamagate scandal. On April 20, the apex court in a judgment ordered the formation of JIT to probe money laundering and offshore properties of Sharif family.

The final verdict by five-member larger bench was split in 3:2 as two of the judges dissented and noted that the premier should be disqualified while the formation of JIT was a unanimous decision.