Rehman Malik appears before Panamagate JIT

ISLAMABAD: Following the session with Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT), former Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that his appearance before the probing team has proven the rumours wrong that the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) would protect the Sharif family from accountability. 

Talking to media after appearing before the JIT on Friday, Rehman Malik confirmed the submission of two letters written to former president Muhammad Rafique Tarar and other evidences pertaining to money laundering by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1990s.

“I [have] submitted all details of the investigation that was carried out under my supervision with regard to money laundering by the premier,” Malik said.

He went on saying that he could not share the details of the session held with the Panamagate JIT in compliance with the investigation team’s instructions. However, he said that the details would be made public within 15 to 20 days [as result of the JIT’s final report].

Malik said he appeared before the JIT without any political agenda and acted in a non-partisan manner to record his statement.

It is worth mentioning here that Malik served Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as Additional Director General in 1990s and a money laundering probe against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was carried out under his supervision back in 1994-95.

MEDIA BRIEFING BEFORE THE JIT SESSION 

Briefing media earlier today before having a session with the JIT, Rehman Malik claimed that the JIT would need no further evidences after submission of the documents, which he was carrying along with him [with regard to Sharif family’s money trail].

He also named the 10 investigators who were part of his team when he carried out a probe against the sitting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the mid 1990s.

“I will come out of the judicial academy building, once the JIT would be fully satisfied with all questions relating the money laundering by Sharif family,” he asserted.

Malik said that he is a hockey player and he intends to score a goal today. The PPP leader was expected to apprise the probing team about the Sharif family’s involvement in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.

Previously, the Supreme Court had directed the JIT, headed by FIA’s additional director general Wajid Zia, to submit its final report of investigation on July 10.

During the hearing of the Panama Papers implementation case, the JIT submitted third fortnightly report prepared in the light of questioning of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and PM’s sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz.

The JIT is yet to record the statement of Captain (retd) Safdar, who would appear before it on June 24. A day before yesterday it had rejected his plea for rescheduling his appearance before it owing to his planned trip to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah this week.

The JIT, however, ordered the prime minister’s son-in-law to appear on June 24 as per the initial orders. The JIT has to submit its last fortnightly report to the bench by July 7, if the deadline of the probe is not extended by the court.

The JIT has been given 60 days to probe Sharif family’s properties and the money trail behind it as part of the verdict announced in the Panama Papers case. The Supreme Court reviews progress of the investigation after every fortnight.