Hussain Nawaz appears before Panamagate JIT for sixth time

ISLAMABAD: Making his sixth appearance before the Joint Investigation Team, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s elder son Hussain Nawaz said that the investigation body had deliberately stretched the proceedings unnecessarily and the questions asked could be easily completed in two sittings.

Addressing media outside the Federal Judicial Academy, Hassan Nawaz said that his family has cooperated with JIT and answered all questions, and even waiting impatiently before the final report is presented to the Supreme Court.

“The questions asked were enough for two session,” he said. “There was not need to make six appearances before the JIT,” adding that it was prolonged to create confusion and further doubts.

He reiterated that the JIT doesn’t have any evidence against his family of any wrongdoing, and allegations of money laundering were non-existent. “In case they have any evidence, then they should initiate proceedings against us,” he said.

Comparing the Panama Papers to the Bhutto murder case and the plane hijacking case, Hassan Nawaz said it was an attempt to cause discord and disharmony in the country.

He said that eye witnesses presented in the plane hijacking case were false, and now they are still present in front of the courts. He warned that they will not allow any conspiracies to snatch their mandate through unconstitutional means.

He further said that the connection of Nawaz Sharif with the family’s foreign assets should be made public so that it can clear all doubts. He appeared unaware of the visit of JIT member to Doha, Qatar to quiz the former Qatari prime minister.

Hussain Nawaz made his sixth appearance before the JIT headed by Federal Investigation Agency additional director Wajid Zia. PM’s daughter Mariyam Nawaz is scheduled to face the JIT for the first time on June 5.

The JIT had a hectic day on Tuesday as it the PM’s younger son Hassan Nawaz and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. The JIT questioned Hassan Nawaz for around three hours and Dar for a little over half an hour.

Ishaq Dar disowned before the JIT the confessional statement he gave in Hudaibya Paper Mills case in year 2000 that the Sharifs used the paper mill to whiten the black money. He said he had turned approver in the case and give such a statement before the court to save his life.

The JIT is winding up the probe as it is required to submit its final report before the Supreme Court by the deadline of July 10. It has been given 60 days to probe the Sharif family’s properties and the money trail behind it as part of the verdict announced in the Panama Papers case.