Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court of Pakistan that several state institutions were creating hurdles to obscure and hinder its probe despite the apex court’s May 5 ruling that all executive authorities should act in aid of the team.

An eight-page report, mentioning the impediments, hurdles and obstacles, was submitted by JIT head Wajid Zia in pursuance of the SC’s implementation bench’s directions.

According to the contents of the JIT report, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Ministry of Law and Justice were deliberately creating impediments.

The report stated that JIT had sought the inquiry records of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills and the Sharif family from SECP. “In reply to the request of seeking inquiry records, SECP stated that the inquiries had never been conducted against the Sharif family,” the JIT said.

“SECP Chairman Zafarul Haq Hijazi not only restrained officials from disclosing the information [to the JIT], but the records were also changed on his behest,” the report said.

The report of JIT stated that SECP Executive Director Ali Azeem had changed the dates of the inquiries. “According to witnesses, the SECP chairman had nominated Ali Azeem for JIT, aiming to sabotage the interrogation against the Sharifs,” the report said.

According to the report, the Ministry of Law and Justice deliberately delayed for five days responding to a letter written by the JIT for conducting interrogations abroad.

“The social media accounts of Bilal Rasool, a JIT member, and his family were hacked with the help of the Intelligence Bureau (IB),” the report said. The JIT also informed that IB personnel had been continuously watching the residence of Bilal Rasool and had also threatened his servant.

“NAB issued a show-cause notice to Irfan Naeem Mangi, who is a member of the JIT, in order to harass him. NAB directed Mangi to file his reply within 15 days,” the report said.

“When the JIT asked the FBR for tax records of Sharif family date back to 1985, the board only submitted five year records,” the report said.

“Witnesses are being especially trained by the Sharif family to record statements in their favour. Ittefaq Group Chief Executive told Tariq Shafi to consult Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at his house prior to his appearance before the JIT and record the statement in accordance with the directions of the prime minister,” the JIT said.

The JIT further alleged that the secret communication between the JIT and other institutions was intentionally being leaked to the media. “The aim is to make the JIT controversial,” the report said.

“For instance the summon issued to the prime minister was classified, but State Minister for Information Maryam Aurangzeb confirmed to the media that the prime minister had been summoned by the JIT,” the report said.

It added that making the information public might cause security threats to witnesses. The report further complained about the threatening and derogatory statements made by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz leaders. “One member of the National Assembly compared the JIT to a butcher’s shop,” the report said.

The JIT requested the top court to take suitable action against officials of departments concerned and those “who unfairly publicly comment in the media in relation to JIT” so that the interrogation could be carried out in transparent manner without any hindrance.

The top court has already directed Additional Attorney General Rana Waqar to submit a reply over the hurdles, remarking that the court expected him to be representative of federation.

The three-judge implementation bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, will take up the matter today.