ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court has resumed the hearing of Panama Papers case on Wednesday against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children, Aaj News reported.Â
A five member larger bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa resumed heard the case.
Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali submitted his arguments, said that Sharif family took loan on foreign currency accounts.
Justice Azmat Saeed remarked that the court had not been received such arguments. He asked the Attorney General to assist the court and not become party to the case.
The Attorney General continued that the Hudaibiya Paper Mill case should be kept separate from the Panama Paper case.
To this Justice Azmat Saeed said that if the Hudaibiya Paper Mill case was not based on facts, why was he trying to avoid it? He added that the NAB had proven to be a dead organization yesterday.
Later, the Attorney General spoke about the disqualification of the Prime Minister, said that the law states that the disqualification reference is first sent to the speaker, and if he does not respond only then the court can intervene.
While responding to this, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf counsel Naeem Bukhari said that the Supreme Court had sent former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani home even though $65 million were never returned to the public exchequer.
Later, the court adjourned hearing till Thursday.
In last hearing on Tuesday, as per the directions of the court, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) chiefs appeared before SC. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa asked FBR about its role in offshore companies.
Chairman FBR Dr. Irshad told the court that the Board has issued notices to 343 owners of offshore companies, of which 52 people refused ownership, while 39 were not Pakistani citizens. He added that 92 individuals agreed to owning offshore companies while 12 individuals have passed away. He said that Hassan, Hussain and Maryam Nawaz have submitted their replies to the FBR. Maryam Nawaz in her reply has said that she owns no property abroad, he added. Meanwhile Hussain Nawaz replied that he had been living abroad since 2000.
The FBR chairman said that the FBR initiates action after tax returns are filed. Currently, Pakistan does not have any agreements over exchange of tax information with Panama, he added.
Chairman NAB filed all the record at the court on Monday. This included Hudabiya Paper Mills reference and Raiwind Estate Reference.
