Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and his family members on Monday authorized former Attorney General for Pakistan Salman Aslam Butt to represent them in the Panama Papers case before the Supreme Court on Tuesday (today).
A 5-member larger bench led by the Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali will resume hearing of various petitions including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Awami Muslim League, seeking the premier and his family members' accountability in the matter. Jamaat-e-Islami also filed a plea in the matter without making Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif as respondent in the case.
Salman Aslam Butt will appear on behalf of Mian Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, his sons - Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz - Captain Muhammad Safdar (Retd), son-in-law and Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar in the matter.
Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf will also appear in pursuance of the court's directives whereas Chairman National Accountability Bureau, Secretary Ministry of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs, Federal Interior Secretary, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue and Secretary Establishment Division will file replies in the case.
For proper court decorum and smooth functioning of the court on the occasion of hearing of the Panama papers case, special measures have been taken to beef up security on the premises of the Supreme Court which include limited entry in Court Room No 1; and only petitioners/respondents whose cases have been fixed will be allowed to enter the Supreme Court. However, advocates and journalists who regularly turn up to cover Supreme Court proceedings are exempted from getting security passes.