Key testimony: Two JIT members quietly leave for Doha

MI’s Brig Kamran and NAB’s Irfan Mangi will record Qatari prince’s statement

ISLAMABAD: In an important development, two members of the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the Sharif family’s offshore properties have quietly flown to Dubai en route to Qatar to record the statement of Prince Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani.

The Qatar's former prime minster had written two letters in defence of the Sharif family that were presented in the Supreme Court in connection with the Panamagate case hearing.

Brig Kamran Khurshid from the Military Intelligence and Irfan Mangi from the National Accountability Bureau left for Dubai in pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, it is learnt.

Both the JIT members were scheduled to land back home early Wednesday after recording the Qatari prince’s statement. It was not clear whether the investigators were able to record the statement on Tuesday.

A former investigator, who probed several high-profile corruption cases, told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity that the two investigators decided to stay abroad briefly, probably to avoid speculations.



“Given the nature of such a high-profile case and given that the two quietly left Pakistan, their prolonged stay there could raise question; and to avoid this kind of publicity, the investigators tend to keep the things ‘brief and compact’,” he said.

Earlier, there were reports that the JIT – which is scheduled to complete its probe and submit its fourth and final fortnightly report to the Supreme Court by July 10 – may seek extension from the top court. But now with the JIT members flying to Dubai en route to Qatar, the probe is likely to finish within the stipulated time period.

Meanwhile, PM’s elder son Hussain Nawaz made a sixth appearance before the JIT in connection with the ongoing investigation. Unlike the past, his movement was declared VVIP, warranting the prime ministerial-level protocol and security arrangements.



Correspondingly, all routes leading to and from the Federal Judicial Academy in Sector H-8/4 of the federal capital were sealed and some 2,500 police and Rangers personnel were deployed to cordon off the area, coupled with the installation of barbed wires.

Sources in Islamabad’s district machinery said that PM’s daughter Maryam Nawaz, who is appearing before the JIT on Wednesday (today) would also be given similar heightened security and protocol.

In another related move, the JIT has also summoned NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry to appear before the inquiry panel on Wednesday (today).

Conspicuously, three of the six JIT members were ‘missing’ during Hussain’s appearance. They included Brigadier Kamran, Irfan Mangi and SECP’s Bilal Rasool. While Kamran and Irfan reportedly flew to Dubai, Bilal was on ‘fieldwork’ in connection with inquiring about tax and wealth details of the Sharif family from officials of the Federal Board of Revenue and the State Bank of Pakistan.

A team of State Bank officials also appeared before the JIT reportedly to share the documents related to taxes and wealth records of the Sharif family on Tuesday.

Hard-hitting statements

Also, members of the Sharif family and PML-N leaders continued to attack the JIT with hard-hitting statements coated with implied yet obvious threats.

“Today, it’s us, tomorrow, it would be you,” said a visibly irked Hussain Nawaz after being interrogated for over six hours.



Hussain, who had sported a beard, said the interrogation that took six sittings could have been completed in just two. “We would not allow this case to become yet another plane hijacking case. We have faced enough of this accountability.”

Separately, PM’s Political Adviser Asif Kirmani also took on the ongoing investigation. He claimed that “respondents have more rights than the petitioners otherwise the target to ensure fair trial would remain a far cry.”

Kirmani, who was probably unaware of the departure of two JIT members to Dubai, lambasted the JIT for not recording the Qatari prince’s statement. He also criticised the inquiry panel for rejecting Qatari prince’s reported proposal to ‘interrogate’ him through a questionnaire.

“The inquiry report will have no validity without incorporating the statement of the Qatari prince. The JIT had floated three options for the Qatari prince — one, to visit Pakistan; two, to allow the JIT to visit Qatar; and three, to be part of the probe through [online communication tool] Skype. The investigation panel hasn’t followed any of the options seriously.”

Kirmani passed the buck on the district machinery when journalists complained to him that the heightened security measures were hindering the media coverage. “We, too, are the victims. We are here as common citizens like you.”

Protests by PML-N workers

PML-N activists protested and chanted slogans against the Islamabad police and district administration for erecting barricades that prevented them from reaching the FJA premises where the JIT has been functioning.