There are intense speculations in the federal capital that the joint investigation team (JIT) probing offshore assets of Sharif family is contemplating upon summoning First Lady Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif along with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, a close aide of Prim Minister Nawaz Sharif, for questioning.
The sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that the JIT headed by Wajid Zia, additional director general of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), may summon Kulsoom and Dar on July 6 and 7, respectively.
The JIT has already summoned the Prime Minister's daughter, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, to appear before it on July 5 - a move which the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has termed as an 'egoistic' decision, but has agreed to comply with the summons unwillingly. There are also reports that the JIT may be declared a sub-jail for a day on July 5, when Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, will be appearing before the six-member panel. However, it could not be confirmed through independent sources.
However, a senior PML-N leader who wished not to be named did say that there is a possibility that Dar may be summoned by JIT. When contacted, noted lawyer Salman Akram Raja, who has also represented the Sharif family in Panama Papers case, said that there is no need to declare the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) - the JIT secretariat - a sub-jail, as the panel can allow her to bring along a female to assist her during the interrogation.
"It's not a big deal, as she [Maryam Nawaz] can move an application to the JIT, requesting the probe team to allow her to bring a female assistant during the interrogation," he added. During Saturday's proceedings, the JIT reviewed the statements recorded this week after Eidul Fitr, during which a former chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) who had investigated Hudaibiya Papers Mills during General Musharraf regime.
The chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan along with five top officials of the SECP also recorded statements before the panel. The sources said that JIT prepared a questionnaire for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's cousin Tariq Shafi who is going to appear before the panel today (Sunday). This will be his second appearance before the probing team as he has earlier appeared before the JIT once.
Sharif's son Hasan Nawaz has been summoned by the investigation team on July 3 and his elder brother Hussain Nawaz will appear before the JIT on July 4. Maryam Nawaz is scheduled to appear before the team on July 5. The summons also asked the respondents to bring forth relevant documents related to the Sharif family's financial assets. The JIT, formed on May 6 in light of the Supreme Court's April 20 judgment in the Panama case, was given 60 days to complete its probe.
However, since the original deadline was falling on a Friday, and with the JIT taking a day off on Eid, July 10 has been decided as the deadline to submit its final report.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017
![There are intense speculations in the federal capital that the joint investigation team (JIT) probing offshore assets of Sharif family is contemplating upon summoning First Lady Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif along with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, a close aide of Prim Minister Nawaz Sharif, for questioning.The sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that the JIT headed by Wajid Zia, additional director general of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), may summon Kulsoom and Dar on July 6 and 7, respectively.The JIT has already summoned the Prime Minister's daughter, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, to appear before it on July 5 - a move which the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has termed as an 'egoistic' decision, but has agreed to comply with the summons unwillingly. There are also reports that the JIT may be declared a sub-jail for a day on July 5, when Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, will be appearing before the six-member panel. However, it could not be confirmed through independent sources. However, a senior PML-N leader who wished not to be named did say that there is a possibility that Dar may be summoned by JIT. When contacted, noted lawyer Salman Akram Raja, who has also represented the Sharif family in Panama Papers case, said that there is no need to declare the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) - the JIT secretariat - a sub-jail, as the panel can allow her to bring along a female to assist her during the interrogation."It's not a big deal, as she [Maryam Nawaz] can move an application to the JIT, requesting the probe team to allow her to bring a female assistant during the interrogation," he added. During Saturday's proceedings, the JIT reviewed the statements recorded this week after Eidul Fitr, during which a former chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) who had investigated Hudaibiya Papers Mills during General Musharraf regime.The chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan along with five top officials of the SECP also recorded statements before the panel. The sources said that JIT prepared a questionnaire for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's cousin Tariq Shafi who is going to appear before the panel today (Sunday). This will be his second appearance before the probing team as he has earlier appeared before the JIT once.Sharif's son Hasan Nawaz has been summoned by the investigation team on July 3 and his elder brother Hussain Nawaz will appear before the JIT on July 4. Maryam Nawaz is scheduled to appear before the team on July 5. The summons also asked the respondents to bring forth relevant documents related to the Sharif family's financial assets. The JIT, formed on May 6 in light of the Supreme Court's April 20 judgment in the Panama case, was given 60 days to complete its probe.However, since the original deadline was falling on a Friday, and with the JIT taking a day off on Eid, July 10 has been decided as the deadline to submit its final report.Copyright Business Recorder, 2017](https://i.aaj.tv/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Ishaq-DAR.jpg){kind=link}