The Supreme Court on Thursday provided all the required copies of volume-I-IX along with four copies of volume-X of joint investigation team (JIT) report in the Panama Papers case to National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau's application for volume-X was turned down to which the NAB requested again for provision of documents on the grounds that availability of the volume-X will provide strong footing to the anti-graft body for filing references against the Sharif family in accordance with the court's directives.
While declaring Nawaz Sharif disqualified from holding public office as prime minister in Panama Papers case on July 28, a five-member larger bench of the apex court issued directives to the NAB to file references against the Sharif family relating to the Mayfair properties, a reference relating to establishment of Azizia Steel Company and Hill Metals Company.
The NAB has also been directed to file references before the accountability court against Nawaz Sharif and his sons regarding Flagship Investments Limited, Hartstone Properties Limited, Que Holding Limited, Quint Eaton Place 2 Limited, Quint Saloane Limited (formerly Quint Eaton Place Limited), Quaint Limited, Flagship Securities Limited, Quint Gloucester Place Limited, Quint Paddington Limited (formerly Rivates Estates Limited), Flagship Developments Limited, Alanna Services Limited (BVI), Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron Inc, Ansbacher Inc, Coomber Inc and Capital FZE (Dubai). Besides, the apex court asked the NAB to file fourth reference relating to incumbent Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.
An official of the NAB, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Business Recorder that the Bureau will not go for any other reference instead of filing the four references against the Sharif family in order to comply with the Supreme Court's directives within stipulated time of six weeks.
The official said that it is not true to say that the NAB was not contemplating filing an appeal before Supreme Court against Lahore High Court's verdict which had barred the Bureau to reopen the Hudabiya Paper Mills case.
Meanwhile, responding to a question, the official said that Sindh High Court has retrieved the NAB powers in the province on August 16, adding the Bureau's powers were curtailed by the Sindh Assembly which had enacted the NAO 1999 Repeal Act, 2017.
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