Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The five-member larger bench is expected to resume hearing of Panamagate case from February 13, sources told Daily Times on Monday.

They added that Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar is likely to take the final decision tomorrow (Wednesday) in this regard.

Sources added that the expected decision would be subject to the recovery of Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed. The case was adjourned after Justice Saeed was shifted to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) on February 1.

When hearing of the case was resumed on February 2, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, who heads the larger bench, in the presence of three other judges told that the case is being adjourned tentatively. After the constant observation for five days, Justice Saeed has been discharged from RIC. However, doctors have advised the judge to take bed rest and undergo a medical examination after seven days.

Makhdoom Ali Khan, Nawaz Sharif’s counsel, said he is not available between February 13 and 24 due to personal commitments abroad.

He, however, said that if the Panamagate case is listed from February 13 for regular hearing then he could change his schedule.

Salman Akram Raja, counsel for Hasan and Hussain Nawaz, will resume his arguments on the next date of hearing.

During the previous hearing, Raja had expressed his inability to explain the money trail for investment in the real estate business as well as the actual founder of two offshore companies Neilson and Nescoll that acquired Landon flats in 1993. Raja had told the court that his clients had no documents that could prove who originally established the two offshore companies.

He had also said late Mian Sharif, the premier’s father, had invested the money in the Qatari family’s real estate business, so the record was not available with the grandchildren.

On this, Justice Khosa had remarked that the counsel was taking a big gamble by withholding evidence behind the acquisition of the four London flats.