Parliamentary leader of the PPP in the Senate, Senator Taj Haider has expressed dismay over questions raised by family of the Prime Minister against the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the Supreme Court to investigate the Panama Leaks case. In a statement on Sunday, he said that JIT had been set up under orders of the Supreme Court to investigate charges against the Prime Minister and his family and report findings to it. It was for the Court to decide whether the accused were guilty or not.
Two senior most Judges of the Honourable Supreme Court have already pronounced 'Guilty' verdict, he said. It is noteworthy that the other three judges did not exonerate the Prime Minister either but ordered further investigations, he said.
Senator Taj Haider said that the JIT must not fail in its duty to thoroughly investigate every bit of information and evidence placed before it. More importantly it must not appear soft on the accused whether by intimidation, coercion or inducement. By choosing not to relinquish his office on the face such damning indictment prior to investigation Mian Nawaz Sharif has exposed the high office of the Prime Minister and leader of the Parliament to public ridicule and embarrassment, he said.
"The degradation of the offices of Prime Minister caused by his refusal to step down to pave way for fair investigation is a matter of deep anguish and embarrassment. The Prime Minister is the leader of the House and his degradation is also degrading the Parliament".
After making the fateful choice to be investigated while in office and then objecting to the proceedings of JIT tantamount to blocking justice, he said. "Allowing himself to be investigated while holding office of Prime Minister was a disaster for parliamentary traditions; refusing investigation now is a catastrophe", Senator Taj Hader said.