Panama case: Transcript of Maryam Nawaz’s interview submitted in SC

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A view of Supreme Court building in Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday resumed hearing of Panama Papers case. 

A five-member larger bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa is hearing the case.

Maryam Nawaz’s counsel Shahid Hamid continued his arguments before the court.

The counsel observed that the transcript of Maryam Nawaz’s interview in which she responded to allegations against her would be submitted to the court.

He told the court that a married woman does not fall into the category of a dependent on her father.

Shahid Hamid said that he would give arguments to prove that Maryam Nawaz was not her father’s dependent.

In response, Justice Asif Khosa observed that Maryma Nawaz was mentioned as a dependent on tax forms in 2011.

Shahid Hamid remarked that there was no specific definition for a dependent as aged and unemployed members of a family may be included in this category. He added that income tax is applied on dependents.

Shahid Hamid submitted the transcript of Maryam Nawaz’s interview to the court.

Justice Gulzar pointed out that the ‘Others’ box is in the category of “dependent” on the income tax form, to which Shahid Hamid remarked that a specific category in this connection was included in the income tax law in 2015.

Justice Azmat asked if a property is called benami in case it is kept in the name of wife and children. The judge added what if a joint family business and children have reached the age of majority.

This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.