The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) constituted by the Supreme Court to probe the affairs regarding the offshore companies of Sharifs seems to be the target of attack through various ‘statements’ and ‘events’. The five-member bench of the Supreme Court announced a 3-2 verdict in Panama case on April 20th with an order to National Accountability Bureau, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, State Bank of Pakistan, Federal Investigation Agency, Inter Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence to submit names for JIT within seven days.
The saga began when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son, Hussain Nawaz raised objection on two members of joint investigation team (JIT) members for Panama Leaks case in Supreme Court. The objections were raised against members who represented State Bank of Pakistan and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). However, the objections were turned down by the Supreme Court.
A few days after that a story was published in a leading English newspaper that hinted that allegedly procedures weren’t followed in picking two members of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), the same two members regarding which Prime Minister’s son had raised objections. Senior journalist while reacting to the said story had claimed during a live beeper that before the story was published in the newspaper he was also approached by a government official and was ‘offered’ the story. Mir questioned the timing of the story and went on to say that if a commission is formed in this regard he will appear and name the person who offered him the story.
Once the whatsapp storm subsided, Nehal Hashmi emerged with an aggressive statement. The statement seemed a direct threat to the Honorable Judges and the members of the JIT. And merely a day or two after that a picture was leaked allegedly showing Hussain Nawaz sitting before the JIT. Many in the government claimed that this is the final nail in the coffin of JIT and it has become too controversial to be acceptable to anyone. Some also suggested that the picture was leaked to embarrass the government and the Sharif family by the JIT, a claim that makes no sense.
Controversy after controversy has ‘popped up’ with regards to the JIT.
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