Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Tuesday formed a three-member Special Bench led by Justice Ejaz Afzal and comprising Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh and Justice Ijazul Ahsan for implementation on the verdict given by a five-member larger bench of the apex court on April 20 in the Panama Papers case.
Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, President Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul-Haq had sought a number of remedies from the apex court, including disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members, over alleged illegalities in offshore assets revealed through the Panama Papers.
On April 20, a five-member larger bench led by the senior puisne judge, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh and Justice Ijazul Ahsan announced its 549-page reserved judgement in the matter after 57 days while turning down pleas to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a 3:2 split verdict.
The bench had asked the director general Federal Investigation Agency, chairman NAB, chairman Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, governor State Bank of Pakistan, director general Inter-Services Intelligence and director general Military Intelligence to recommend names of their nominees for the JIT within seven days.
The larger bench had said in its verdict that a senior officer of the FIA, not below the rank of additional director general, shall head the team having firsthand experience of investigation into white collar crime and related matters. Besides, the court had ruled that other members include a representative of the NAB, a nominee of the SECP familiar with the issues of money laundering and white collar crimes, a nominee of the SBP, and a seasoned officer of the ISI and MI each.
The court had ruled that names of all the nominees of the JIT would be placed before the judges in chambers for nomination and approval, adding that the JIT shall investigate the case and collect evidence, if any, showing that Mian Nawaz Sharif or any of his dependents or benamidars owns, possesses or has acquired assets or any interest therein disproportionate to his known means of income.
The verdict said that the JIT may also examine the evidence and material, if any, already available with the FIA and NAB relating to or having any nexus with the possession or acquisition of the Mayfair flats in London or any other assets or pecuniary resources and their origin. Requesting the Chief Justice of Pakistan to form a special bench for implementation of larger bench ruling in letter and sprit, the five-member bench had ruled that the JIT shall submit its periodical reports every two weeks before the special bench of the apex court. As per the court verdict in the Panama Paper case, the Special bench shall ensure completion of the probe in the matter within a period of sixty days.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday assigned responsibility of co-ordinator to Additional Registrar Muhammad Ali to mediate with the six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) whose formation was directed by a five-member larger bench to probe into Panama Papers revelations. According to unconfirmed reports, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has assigned responsibility of co-ordinator to Additional Registrar Muhammad Ali for liaison between the JIT and the apex court bench.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017