Qatari prince says will affirm letter to SC in toto if JIT visits Qatar

ISLAMABAD: Qatar’s former prime minister Prince Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani has promised to provide all details of his businesses with the Sharif family if members of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) visit him in Doha.

He has made it clear that he was ready to meet the team face-to-face. After coming to know that the JIT members have contacted the Supreme Court registrar for making arrangements for their Qatar visit, The News special reporting team contacted Prince Hamad in Doha. His close circles told the reporting team that the prince stands by each and every word he had provided to the Supreme Court of Pakistan about his businesses with the Sharif family. The close circles said the prince was also ready to prove, through documentary proofs, whatever details he had earlier provided to the SC bench, hearing the Panama Papers case.

Prince Hamad said neither he had any investment in Pakistan nor he was a Pakistani national and, therefore, he was not bound to appear before any investigation team in Pakistan. However, he added, he had great respect for laws of all countries of the world, including Pakistan. Nevertheless, he was not bound to follow all laws of Pakistan, he added.

The reporting team contacted Prince Hamad twice, and came to know through his very close circles that he was very upset over the way his issue was handled in Pakistan irresponsibly. According to Prince Hamad, the business relationship with a Pakistani family spanning over decades could not be presented in a diluted manner, as it developed successfully after the creation of Pakistan. It was expansion of their business empire that the then government nationalised their industries too along with the other big industrial units in 1972.

But it is very unfortunate to see that these honest and respectable people were not encouraged in Pakistan, as they not only ensure a comfortable life for themselves on the basis of intelligence and progress but also provide jobs to a large number of their compatriots. They started business abroad due to compulsions but regularly sent money to Pakistan.

Prince Hamad has also reminded that late Mian Muhammad Sharif, the grandfather of Hussain and Hassan, was a very pious and hardworking person whose business acumen was well-known. Such people should provided legal protection for investing and bringing investment to Pakistan so that the people, who progress in other countries due to their abilities, could do business in their own country without any fear.

Prince Hamad believes that business of a personality like Mian Sharif was destroyed in Pakistan but he did not lose courage at any point. The former prime minister of Qatar says that his family has had a very close relation with the young members of the Sharif family, especially those running the business currently. They know each other very well. These youngsters have been groomed in a very good manner.

The prince has clarified that under the business ethics, their business partners are bound not to disclose their business details without getting mutual consent, adding their partners across the globe abide by this code. He said that following the same principle, PM Nawaz Sharif did not mention his family's business relations with them ( the prince's family) during his address to the National Assembly. The PM was, however, allowed to do it after getting mutual consent, the prince explained.

The prince expressed his sorrow over negative propaganda about his business relations in Pakistan, and advised those indulging in such a negative activity to broaden their thinking and come out of the mindset that derives pleasure by insulting others.

He said his family established business links with people after strict scrutiny to choose noble partners after looking at their repute.

It may be mentioned that the former prime minister of Qatar, owing to his royal lineage, has partnership with big business entities in cities across the globe. He has investments in hotels, malls and big buildings. In London alone, he has investment in 17 per cent of big commercial concerns. London's globally famous store, Harrods, is also owned by the Prince's family.

It is important to note that the rivals of Nawaz Sharif government were giving an impression that the Qatari prince would not be ready to give statement and meet the JIT, resulting in a verdict against the government.

In their opinion, the Sharif family's entire case depends on the Qatari prince's witness and statement whose absence will destroy the Sharif family's argument.

As Prince Hamad has now announced that he would welcome the Pakistani JIT, it will knock down the entire edifice of the rivals' case. The search for another issue for mayhem will start after this drop scene.

The JIT would be given highest-level security in Qatar upon its arrival. Legal experts say if the documents presented by the Qatari prince to the Supreme Court are verified and Prince Hamad's statement is obtained, then the direction of the entire issue will change in the Sharif family's favour.

This report was originally published in The News