Supreme Court to hear Hussain Nawaz's objections on two JIT members today

ISLAMABAD: A special bench of the Supreme Court is to hear a plea, filed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son Hussain Nawaz on Monday (today), expressing his reservations on two members of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probing offshore properties of Sharif family in line with the top court’s verdict in Panama leaks case.

Hussain Nawaz in his plea has alleged that one of the two members of JIT committee is a close friend of former president General Pervez Musharaf and was very active during special court proceedings in treason case against Musharaf.

Hussain has also claimed that the other one is relative of former governor of Punjab Mian Azhar who is currently linked with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).

The reservations were raised against Amer Aziz and Bilal Rasool, who respectively represent the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) in the six-member JIT.

SECP member of the JIT, Bilal Rasool’s wife was a PML-Q candidate on reserved seats for women in general election of 2013.

Hussain Nawaz has said that State Bank nominee of JIT Amer Aziz had investigated against his father Nawaz Sharif in Hudaibiya Paper Mills case and his opinion can be biased and affect this probe.

The three-member special bench, comprises of Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsen will hear the plea today.

Previously, another member of the Sharif family, Tariq Shafi – the premier’s cousin – had also filed a complaint to the JIT head Wajid Zia against some of the JIT members, who allegedly misbehaved with him during interrogation.

Hussain Nawaz on Sunday appeared before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), probing offshore properties of Sharif family.

He reached the National Judicial Academy to record his statement before the investigation body. Hussain Nawaz was questioned for nearly two hours and was given a questionnaire. He has been asked to reappear on May 30.

Briefly talking to media persons outside the judicial academy, Hussain Nawaz said that he had received a notice from JIT yesterday (Saturday) which asked him to appear within 24 hours.

“I will present my viewpoint along with my counsel Advocate Fazal Ghani,” he said while denying that he was given any questionnaire by the JIT.

Talking to ARY News, member of JIT Umer Cheema said that he could not share details pertaining to investigation with the media. However, he asserted that an undaunted investigation was underway until reservations raised by the ruling family of late.

“Unfortunately, we have a tradition of hurling allegations on regulatory authorities, intending to malign their credibility to disrupt progress”, he said while implying the recent reservations as an attempt to delay the investigation.

The JIT seeks to interrogate the premier’s son about tax returns of London flats and other offshore properties owned by the Sharif family.