Pakistan

Pressed for time, JIT takes one day off on Eid

PM’s daughter Maryam Safdar has been asked to appear before panel on July 5

Danish Hussain June 29, 2017

PHOTO: REUTERS

ISLAMABAD: The Joint Investigation Team probing into the offshore assets of the ruling Sharif family burnt the midnight oil on Eidul Fitr holidays to meet the July 10 deadline to complete its investigation. The JIT members took only one day off only on Monday (Eid’s first day).

The JIT held its routine proceedings a day before Eid, on Sunday, when it summoned Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, Maryam Safdar, asking her to appear on July 5. It resumed its work on Tuesday, a day after Eid, recording the statement of a private bank official who maintained business and personal accounts of the Sharif family members, including the elder Sharif.

Panamagate JIT summons Maryam Nawaz on July 5

As JIT’s investigation entered its final stage, it lined up all three children of the Premier Sharif – Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz Safdar. They are all set to appear before the JIT on July 3, 4 and 5, respectively.

Maryam will be the sixth member of the Sharif family who will testify before the probe team. Premier Sharif himself, his brother Shehbaz Sharif, sons Hussain and Hassan, and son-in-law Capt [retd] Safdar have already appeared before the JIT.

Over the past month, Hussain has appeared before the JIT five times, while Hassan Nawaz has appeared twice.

JIT accountability is a farce, says PM Nawaz

All three children of Premier Sharif have been asked to reach the Federal Judicial Academy by 11am along with “all relevant record/ documents/ material pertaining to the case”. However, it is yet not clear if the PML-N leadership will allow Maryam to appear before the JIT.

As soon the news in this regard was aired, the PM’s daughter took to social media to express her thoughts over the development.

PTI chief Imran Khan, who addressed a press conference on Wednesday, was asked about his opinion about the JIT summons for Maryam.

Imran said Sharif, in a bid to save his own skin, had made his children and deceased father scapegoats. “The prime minister is responsible for the summons.”