Pak SC concludes Panama hearing, reserves verdict

Islamabad, July 21 

Pakistan’s Supreme Court today concluded hearing the high-profile Panama Papers case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family for alleged corruption, but reserved its verdict that could jeopardise his political future.

The three-member Bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal and comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan did not immediately give any date to give its judgment.

Justice Saeed observed that the court will not deviate from any law while delivering its judgment. “We are conscious of the fundamental rights of petitioners and respondents.” The apex court also opened the final part of the 10-volume report submitted by the Joint Investigation Team it had set up to probe the allegations of money laundering by Sharif.

The JIT has recommended that the report’s Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries. Sharif’s legal team has objected to it.

The court has ordered authorities to provide a copy of the volume to Sharif’s lawyer Khawaja Harris. — PTI

Sharifs’ response fails to satisfy court   

• The judges hearing the case have made observations that Paksitan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children have been unable to satisfy the court about the sources of money used to buy properties disproportionate to their known incomes
• The petitioners have urged the court to disqualify Sharif and order a trial against him for hiding assets and failing to disclose the source of income used to set up businesses by his children