Panama Leaks case: Maryam Nawaz submits reply

By
Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui
|

ISLAMABAD: A five-member bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa resumed hearing of the Panama Leaks case.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz submitted her reply in the Supreme Court which included five-year details of her income.

She said that there were five houses in the Raiwand estate. In the first house her grandmother Shamim Akhtar lived. In the second house her parents, the Prime Minister and the first lady, lived. The third house is occupied by her late uncle Abbas Sharif's family. In the fourth house Shehbaz Sharif lived. And in the fifth house she lived.

Maryam Nawaz in the reply said that signatures on documents related to Nescol company are fake. These documents are not linked to the Panama Leaks.

The hearing was adjourned till Monday.

London Flats belong to Nawaz Sharif: Bukhari

In his arguments Imran Khan’s lawyer Naeem Bukhari said that the London Flats actually belonged to Nawaz Sharif. He argued that the Benami flats were bought between 1993 and 1996 in Maryam Nawaz’s name. When the  flats were bought Maryam was a minor, he said, adding that later a Benami Steel Mill was set up in Dubai.

Bukhari said that Maryam Nawaz was beneficiary in the London Flats, but that is just a hoax.

Justice Azmat Saeed asked when was Maryam Nawaz made shareholder in the Chaudhry Sugar Mill.

Bukhari replied that in 2011 the Prime Minister gave his daughter Rs37 million as a present to his daughter.

Justice Ijaz said that Bukhari’s argument does not clarify the issue of dependency of Maryam Nawaz. He said that he appreciated his efforts.

Bukhari explained that investigation agencies had asked Mossack Fonseca for details on the offshore companies. “They replied that the London flats had not been rented out. In fact they were in use by Maryam Nawaz and her family.” He added that the Samba Bank had confirmed that Maryam Nawaz was their account holder.

Justice Ijaz Afzal asked for documentary evidence over the transfer of property to Maryam Nawaz. “Do you have any documents to prove that the 2006 trust deed is fake?” he asked.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan submitted an interview by Nawaz Sharif’s financial advisor Haroon Pasha in the court as evidence. He requested the court to include Haroon Pasha’s interview to Geo News on December 6, 2016 in the court records.

Maryam Nawaz is Nawaz Sharif's benami: Fawad Chaudhry

Speaking to the media, outside the Supreme Court, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Fawad Chaudhry said that we have submitted all evidence in the Supreme Court.

"In the proceedings today we asked how Hussain Nawaz began his business worth billions," he said.

"All of Nawaz Sharif's transactions roam around Maryam Nawaz. Actually Maryam Nawaz is Nawaz Sharif's Benami," he said.

"The court has said that they will get to the bottom of this," he added.

Case will conclude this month: Sheikh Rasheed

Speaking to the media outside the apex court, Awami Muslim League (AML) President Sheikh Rasheed said the Panama Leaks cases would conclude this month.

During Thursday’s proceedings, the prime minister's lawyer Makhdoom Ali submitted his reply which included details of the prime minister's public office tenure.

The reply states that the prime minister was provincial finance minister from 1981 to 1985, after which he occupied the office of Chief Minister Punjab till 1988. During the period of April-May 1988 he was acting chief minister. Till 1990 he was CM Punjab again. He went on to become prime minister till 1993 for the first time, and then from 1997 till 1999 he was prime minister for the second time. From 1993 till 1996 he was opposition leader. He was exiled in 2000, and his exile ended in 2007.

Copies of the reply were submitted to PTI.