ISLAMABAD: A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court Thursday heard the high-profile Panama Papers case involving offshore assets of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children.

The bench is headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal. Other members are Justice Shiekh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsen.

The Sharif family has submitted its objections to JIT report before the apex court. Fresh objection and documents were submitted today (Thursday) when the hearing begun.

Yesterday, Salman Akram Raja, the lawyer of Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, and Tariq Hussan, the lawyer of Ishaq Dar contended before the bench.

In previous hearings, counsel for Sharif Family, Khawaja Haris, PTI counsel Naeem Bukhari and Jamaat-e-Islami lawyer Tausif Asif have contended about findings and recommendations of the JIT, while Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed himself presented his point of view before the apex court.

The JIT has recommended filing of a reference against PM Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz.

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1:30 pm – The court adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.

“What else could the JIT do to record his statement? He was Hussain Nawaz Sharif’s key witness; therefore, it was Hussain Nawaz’s responsibility to produce him: Justice Ijaz

He refused to obey Pakistani law and said he would not appear before Pakistan’s court. The story would have come to an end, had the Qatari royal recorded his statement: Justice Ijaz

The JIT had asked him to come to Pakistani embassy but he rejected. Should we go to Doha? Justice Azmat

The bench observed that Qatari prince was a key witness in the case and that nothing was further required after his statement, but he refused to testify even through the video link.

The judges later clarified why JIT could not record statement of Qatari prince.

The lawyer drew bench’s ire. “What’s going on, we can’t close our eyes. There will be obviously bad consequences of it,” Justice Azmat said.

The Sharif family’s counsel said there might be a mistake.

When the court pointed out how Sharif family got the verification of trust deed when there was public holiday in UK, the lawyer had no answer.

The lawyer said the issue should be investigated.

Justice Ijaz said there is seven-year jail sentence for the crime of presenting fake documents in the court.

“Whatever has been said in the forensic report is not nonsense. Apparently bogus documents were provided to the court,” Justice Azmat

He further said that the issue of her signature was raised in the JIT report. “How a signature of a same size can be done everywhere? How a similar mistake of signature can be done on two different documents?” he questioned.

Justice Azmat also raised question over Maryam Nawaz’s signature, saying that a page bearing her signature was used twice in an audit report.

The court also raised questions over Sharif family’s exchange of emails with Mossack Fonseca, and the trust deeds.

The respondents were directed to furnish more documents in this regard.

The bench continued to raise questions about Hussain Nawaz’s beneficial ownership of Nielsen Enterprises Limited and Nescoll Limited and JPCA’s takeover of the two companies.

The JPCA Limited received money from Hussain Nawaz. So it can provide any kind of certificate: Justice Ijaz

Verified documents show that she is beneficial owner, we can’t trust your unverified copies: Justice Azmat

There is an allegation that Maryam Nawaz is dependent to her father. According to PTI lawyer Naeem Bukhari, she has committed forgery and presented fake documents in the court. The petitioners are demanding criminal proceeding on it: Justice Ijaz

Hussain Nawaz must clarify. He is son of the Prime Minister: Justice Ijaz

Benamidar is an ostensible owner and if a person purchases from a Benamidar, the real owner cannot recover unless he shows that the purchaser had actual or constructive notice of the real title. But from this it does not follow that the Benamidar has real title to the property, he is merely an ostensible owner thereof.

Raja responded that the Benamidar of Hussain Nawaz has not so far been proved.

“If there is not proof of a wrongdoing, same goes for a right thing… The one who is the owner of something has to give the clarification,” Justice Azmat

The court also sought the money trail of Hill Metal Establishment, saying that the beneficiary of the company is known but sources of the funds are known.

Lawyer Salman Akram Raja said the JIT has not recorded statement of Qatari price, saying that the investigation is not complete with his statement.

The court allowed all parties the access to letters.

11:50 am – The court later examined two letters, one from the Attorney General of British Virgin Islands and the other from Qatari prince.

If the funding sources were not proved, the impact will be on the person having public office: Justice Ijaz

“You admit that the money landed in his children’s accounts but the source is unknown, if the same happens with me it will make me worried,” Justice Azmat

The lawyer denied that no Qatari weather has been received by the children of Nawaz Sharif.

The court later inquired from Salman Akram Raja the questions about the money trail of Hudaibiya Paper Mills, saying that the Qatari letter doesn’t mention Azizia mill and other businesses.

11:10 am – The court then observed an interval.

“I don’t want to say this. Hussain Nawaz acquired these flats in 2006,” Raja told the court.

“There is no role of PM’s children in the purchase of flats,” Raja, at which Justice Azmat said “you want to say that the flats have been acquired by PM?”

The allegation from petitioners is that Prime Minster purchased the flats when the children were young. The question is from where is brought the money since price of the flats is higher than his income: Justice Ijaz

It’s not just an allegation but a documentary fact: Justice Azmat

“The allegation is not about her being beneficial owner but it’s about ownership of flats since 1993,” Raja

Prove with documents that she is not the beneficial owner, and if anyone else is the owner: Justice Azmat

Mossack Fonseca denied any trust and declared Maryam Nawaz Sharif as beneficial owner of the Nielson Enterprises Limited according to an official document received to us from British Virgin Islands: Justice Azmat

But the source of funding has not been disclosed till date: Justice Ijaz

“We reject this allegation that these flats were purchased in 1993,” Raja

“These flats were used by Hamza Shahbaz, Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and other children of Sharif brothers, but Nawaz Sharif’s children used to permanently stay there,” Raja

For the source of funding for London flats, we will have to connect seven to eight links: Justice Azmat

10:50 am – The court later discussed the ownership of Sharif family’s London flats.

Can you prove that Hussain Nawaz purchased shares of other shareholders: Justice Azmat

Nawaz Sharif, Hussain Nawaz and Rabia Shahbaz were the shareholders of Azizia mills, the remaining two persons granted their shares to you are took back. Can you prove that others were given their share? Justice Ijaz

This detail is on copy of a computerized document that could not be trusted: Justice Azmat

“According to documents, Hussain Nawaz got 42 million Riyal. There is record of 63 million Riyal incoming transaction to the Azizia mill bank account,” Raja

“I’m a counsel, not a witness,” Raja responded, will search for it during the break.

The lawyer expressed his unawareness. At which, Justice Ijaz said it was your (client’s) company and you don’t know?

Was the Azizia mill sold in 63 million Saudi Riyal? Weren’t there 21 million Riyal due with the company at the time of sale? Justice Ijaz

10:40 am – Then the court moved to the money trail of Al-Azizia Steel Mill. It was set up by the Sharif family during exile in Saudi Arabia, but after Mian Sharif’s death, the Sharif brothers sold the mill to Shaikh Mohammad Saeed.

Submit customs authorities’ documents if you have to file new documents… We can give you in written that we will not issue orders on report but on the material: Justice Azmat

The documents you are showing are private, and in private documents anything could be claimed, even you can say that the machinery was moved in titanic: Justice Azmat

These documents also don’t verify the previous claim of Sharif family about shifting of the factory machinery from Dubai to Jeddah. You have no customs record: Justice Azmat

You should file new documents as these documents carry two flaws: Justice Ijaz

“It was a serious mistake by Dubai authorities. Can we be allowed to speak to them? We have a right of legal action against them: Raja

The Dubai authorities have refused to verify the notary and documents: Justice Azmat

“Who went there? You want to conceal his name?” Justice Ijaz

Someone else went to UEA for notary verification: Raja

Hussain Nawaz had told the JIT that he did not go to Dubai, then who got the notary verification? Ultimately these documents seem to be fake: Justice Ijaz

The UAE officials said this is not our stamp. Had Hussain Nawaz got these documents verified from the notary service? Justice Sheikh Azmat

“This UAE letter shows that there is no record of Gulf Steel Mill’s agreement, it also denies Rs.12 million Durham transaction, and also says that there is no customs record available of the transfer of machinery from UEA,” Raja told the court.

JIT’s conclusion is based on letter of UAE’s ministry of justice: Lawyer. He read out a letter of the UAE ministry.

“Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer had disowned these documents, this is why JIT had sent these documents for verification,” Justice Ijaz

It remains to be seen whether the Supreme Court will consider the British Virgin Islands (BVI) record authentic or that of a private firm.

New documents belong to the company JPCA Limited, which is registered in the British Virgin Islands.

According to the documents, the matters related to Nielsen Enterprises Limited and Nescoll Limited were managed earlier by Minerva company, while JPCA has been handling the administrative matters of the two companies since 2014.

The documents further reveal that Maryam Nawaz never met the companies’ officials nor gave them any directions.

JPCA Limited has issued the certificate to Hussain Nawaz, declaring him beneficial owner of the two companies.

– The court scolded the counsel for leaking the documents to media before submitted to the court; however, the lawyer expressed his unawareness about the leak.

– The fresh documents on ownership of London properties show that Hussain Nawaz was the beneficial owner of Nielsen Enterprises Limited and Nescoll Limited, while PM Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Sharif was merely a trustee.

– Raja started arguments over fresh objections and documents filed by Sharif family yesterday.

9:30 am – Salman Akram Raja, the counsel of prime minister’s children is submitting the arguments.