ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister’s children Maryam Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz Monday submitted their replies in the Supreme Court on Monday in the Panama Leaks case.
In a 15-page reply, the prime minister submitted his stance regarding the ownership or legal beneficiary of any offshore properties or any other entities, including the four flats in Avenfield House, Park Lane, London.
It was stated in the replies that Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz have been living outside Pakistan for 16 and 22 years, respectively. Their father Nawaz Sharif has no involvement in his children’s businesses as well as no connection with properties in London. Maryam, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz are mature, independent adults, the replies stated.
In his reply Hassan Nawaz said that he was involved in lawful business and did not own assets or companies in London. The reply added that none of the parties had bought any property between 1992 and 1993.
Maryam Nawaz was not the actual owner of assets and companies; she was in fact only their trustee, the reply added. It was also stated that Maryam Nawaz was not a party to companies based in Virgin Islands, and the allegations were ‘baseless’.
The statement said that Hussain Nawaz had given $1,914,054 to Nawaz Sharif as a gift in 2011. It added that Nawaz Sharif had given Rs 3,170,000 to Maryam Nawaz while Rs 19,459,440 to Hassan Nawaz as a gift.
During the hearing Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said that the Prime Minister has agreed to step down if the ruling is against him.
“We can give a clean chit, or rule against the Prime Minister,” he said, adding that the court will not go into the details of the issue or visit Panama.
The Supreme Court directed Sharif family’s lawyer to submit all documents by November 15 before the next hearing.
Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said that the Prime Minister’s children’s reply did not deny ownership of offshore companies. He added that the children’s reply accepted the allegations in Imran Khan’s petition related to ownership of the companies.
Justice Khosa directed the Sharif family’s lawyer to convince the court that the money was transferred abroad in accordance with the law.
“It is the duty of the owners to convince the Supreme Court after accepting ownership,” he said.
Speaking outside the Supreme Court, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said there is a difference between containers and courts.
“In the courts it is all about evidence. In the containers they can only hurl allegations,” she said.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the Prime Minister had presented himself for accountability. She added that what Imran Khan says outside the court cannot be said inside the court.
