The Sharifs may face 15 criminal cases

The Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday will begin examining the report submitted by the joint investigation team (JIT), which investigated the assets owned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

The JIT concluded in its findings that the Sharifs used fake documents to conceal assets from tax authorities and failed to establish a money trail for the four multi-million pounds worth of apartments in London that they own. The Prime Minister’s sons Hussain and Hassan, daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain Safdar, and close relative Ishaq Dar, who is also the Finance Minister, have been named by the JIT.

Criminal cases

The probe team recommended that at least 15 criminal cases be registered against the Sharifs by the National Accountability Bureau. The Prime Minister’s legal team, headed by senior lawyer Khawaja Haris, is expected to object to the JIT’s accusations. The government has already termed the investigative team’s findings a conspiracy to dislodge the government. The JIT, which submitted its report to the Supreme Court last week, was ordered by three judges of the top court to complete its probe within 60 days.

Opposition parties, lawyers’ representative bodies and the media have been demanding Mr. Sharif’s resignation. But the Prime Minister has remained steadfast in his denials and has refused to step down, citing the big mandate that he received in the 2013 elections.

Mr. Sharif’s party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), was tipped to win the next election, which is due late next year. His party was also seen as the front-runner in the Senate polls, which are due next March.