The head of Joint Investigation Team (JIT), tasked by Supreme Court to investigate allegations against Sharif family in Panama Leaks, Wednesday said that he will inform the apex court in written if the JIT faces any problems in conducting the probe.
Wajid Zia, Additional Director General, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) who is also heading the 6-member JIT, said this when reporters asked him whether the JIT was facing any hurdles or threats in the ongoing investigations. The JIT chief was on his way to submit the second progress report to the court as per the Supreme Court's instructions. "I will be submitting to Supreme Court in written in this regard," Zia further said in a brief response to the question outside the Supreme Court.
The JIT, according to sources, has once again summoned the Prime Minister's sons Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz to appear before it on June 9 and June 10 respectively. This would be Hussain's fifth appearance before the JIT while his younger brother will appear for the second time before the probing body.
On the same day, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders strongly criticised the JIT, alleging that it is "either incompetent or biased" in conducting the investigations. Talking to the media outside Supreme Court, PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry along with other party members accused the JIT of its prejudice against Sharif family.
He said that the JIT after getting nothing against the Prime Minister's family has now resorted to disrespecting the premier's family. "The JIT is not even capable to give justice to a leaked picture under its nose and how one can expect justice from such a probing body? The only progress it has showed in 30 days is a leaked picture," Chaudhry said while referring to a leaked picture of Hussain Nawaz from the JIT room. He maintained that it seems that another JIT would be constituted over the current JIT, adding the PML-N has expressed reservations over its members from the day when it was constituted.
"Let me ask whether the JIT is a probing body or a butcher's shop as it has threatened some for sending them to jail for 14 years and warned others to change their statements...It is not a legal case anymore but a politically motivated move to target the Sharif family," he said.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders while talking to the media said that the JIT in its report submitted to the apex court has vindicated the PTI's stance as the JIT has conveyed to the court that it is facing hurdles in conducting the probe. "It is very serious issue as we had already pointed out that the PML-N government will create hurdles in the way of JIT to properly investigate the case against Sharif family," said Jahangir Tareen, PTI's secretary-general. He said that it is for the first time that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family are under investigation and reiterated his party's demand that the Primer Minister should resign till the JIT completes its investigation.