Pakistan PM interrogated for three hours

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday appeared before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) over the Panama leaks scandal and was grilled for three hours.

After the interrogation, Mr Sharif said that all the relevant documents had been provided to the probe panel.

Speaking to reporters outside the Federal Judicial Academy, Mr Sharif said that he had accounted for every penny. “I have presented myself, the government and my family before the JIT for trial.”

The Prime Minister said never before in the history of the country, three generations of a family had been held accountable like his family had been.

He said the present process extended to a period before his birth.

He added, “We will not only come out successful in the proceedings of the JIT but also in the next general elections, get overwhelming support of the nation.”

Mr Sharif said that his personal businesses had nothing to do with the national treasure and the allegations against him were on a personal level, adding that his opponents would be unsuccessful no matter how many conspiracies they hatched against him or his family.

Mr Sharif claimed it was a historic day, proving the supremacy of the Constitution and the law in Pakistan.

He said that he had to face questions from Pakistan People’s Party and during Pervez Musharraf’s era and but no charges of corruption against him and his family had been proved.

“Our national security will be at stake if the factories running specific agenda are not be closed,” he said.

Mr Sharif appeared before the JIT for the first time on Thursday and recorded his statement in the Panama leaks case. Arriving at the Federal Judicial Academy, Mr Sharif greeted his supporters and waved at them.

He was accompanied by his sons, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, chief minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, and Hamza Shahbaz.

Sources said that as many as 11 questions related to the Prime Minister’s  speeches delivered on different forums after the scandal surfaced, over the sale of Gulf Steel Mills, the real owner of Nelson and Nescol companies, Hussain Nawaz’s gift of millions of rupees, and the set up of various businesses in different parts of the world, were asked during the hearing.

On April 20, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa announced the apex court’s decision on the Panama leaks case.

The order, comprising of 540 pages, showed that the court had issued a split ruling and called for the constitution of a probe panel to investigate the case further. Two of the five judges branded Mr Sharif “dishonest” and said he should be disqualified from running the country, but they were outnumbered.

The JIT has been directed to submit a progress report after every two weeks to the apex court and it is supposed to complete the investigation within two months.