ISLAMABAD: Prime minister’s children Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz on Monday submitted their replies in the Supreme Court.
In a written reply, they stated that Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz have been living outside Pakistan for 16 and 22 years, respectively. Their father Nawaz Sharif has nothing to do with his children’s businesses and no connection with properties in London. Maryam, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz are mature and adults, the it added.
Earlier, the Supreme Court resumed the Panama Leaks case hearing Monday. The apex court will also decide on forming a one-judge judicial commission to hear the case.
Maryam, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz are mature, independent adults, the replies stated.
The PM’s counsel, Salman Aslam Butt, informed the bench that Hassan Nawaz has been running a business lawfully for the last 22 years and Hussain for 16 years. He said that both Hassan and Hussain had rejected allegations of corruption made by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan.
He added that Maryam Nawaz is not dependent on the prime minister. Denying allegations leveled in the petitions, Maryam said she is not the beneficiary owner of Nielsen and Nescoll but only a trustee.
Justice Asif Saeed Khosa asked Butt to “satisfy” the court by showing that money was sent abroad through legal means.
During Monday hearing, the government sought 15 days to submit the required documents, but the court ordered the PM’s counsel to submit evidence within seven days, saying that the court wants to conclude the case as soon as possible.
Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said that the Prime Minister’s children’s reply did not deny ownership of offshore companies. He added that the children’s reply accepted the allegations in Imran Khan’s petition related to ownership of the companies.
Justice Khosa directed the Sharif family’s lawyer to convince the court that the money was transferred abroad in accordance with the law.
“It is the duty of the owners to convince the Supreme Court after accepting ownership,” he said.
The SC adjourned the case until Nov 15, and directed all parties to submit documentary evidence before then.
The apex court during a hearing of the case last week asked the PM’s counsel to submit the replies of the PM’s children, and ordered all parties to present proposals on how to regulate its proceedings, so that it could pass a binding order on Monday regarding the appointment of a one-man commission, to be headed by a judge of the SC.
Meanwhile, PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi’s lawyer Akram Shaikh, who had earlier submitted a petition against PTI leaders Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen, approached the larger bench, requesting them to club his petition along with others in connection with the Panamagate case but the bench refused to do so at this stage.
Later, a two-member SC bench chaired by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard the petition filed by PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi and issued notices to PTI leaders Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen, directing them to submit their replies on applications submitted against them pertaining to allegations of ownership of offshore companies.
The SC directed both PTI leaders to submit their reply by Nov 15.
