Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: In order to establish a connection between Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s wealth and allegations of corruption against him, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday submitted documents before the Supreme Court, which the party claims to be “concrete evidence”.

In compliance with the top court’s order in Panamagate-related petitions, Naeem Bukhari, member of the PTI’s legal team, submitted three volumes of documents consisting of 686 pages against the premier and his family.

Head of PTI’s legal team, Hamid Khan, during the course of previous hearing, had requested the top court to direct the petitioners and respondents to place all documentary evidence before final consideration for constitution of the Panamagate Commission.

Subsequently, on November 7, while granting another seven days to the premier and his children, the court deemed it appropriate to direct all the parties of Panamagate proceedings to place all documents on which they intended to rely in support of their respective cases.

“We did not intend to show all options in a single go to rival party. Instead, we were attempting to see what cards do they (PM’s family) have in their hands,” a member of the PTI’s legal team told Daily Times on the condition of anonymity.

The counsel for the premier and his children did not submit documentary evidence, but he is expected to place the documents before the top court during today’s hearing.

The evidence submitted by PTI included banking transactions and write-off loans. It also mentioned Rs 56 million allegedly transferred abroad through hundi from 1988 to 1991. The documents also alleged that the Sharifs laundered Rs 145 million, adding that Khalid Siraj, the business partner of the premier, had revealed the money laundering.

The document further stated that the transferred money was not mentioned in the tax returns. They stated that the Sharif family’s debt stood at Rs 6,146 million, and the PM’s business was rapidly developed during his tenure as the chief minister of Punjab.

The documents also included press clippings published in different sections of the media as well as statements of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Siddiq al-Farooq regarding the Mayfair Flats.

Similarly, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed also submitted the detailed documents supporting the allegations levelled against Nawaz Sharif.

In another development, the premier’s children – Maryam Safdar, Hasan and Hussain Nawaz – hired Akram Sheikh as their counsel. Prior to him, Salman Aslam Butt was pleading their case. However, he will remain the counsel for Nawaz Sharif in the case.