ISLAMABAD: Following the formation of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the money trail and Sharif family’s offshore properties, the secretariat of Panama case JIT has been established at Federal Judicial Academy.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed the federal government to provide the probing team necessary funds with an initial amount of Rs20 million on immediate basis as it will begin its investigation in light of Panamagate verdict on coming Monday.
The JIT team will submit its final report within next 60 days. The investigating team is also directed to submit fortnightly progress reports. The next hearing of the special bench will be held on 22nd of May.
The JIT will be headed Additional Director General (Immigration) of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Wajid Zia, while the other members of the JIT include State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)’s Amir Aziz, National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s Irfan Naeem Mangi, Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP)’s Bilal Rasool, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)’s Brigadier Muhammed Noman Saeed and Military Intelligence (MI)’s Brigadier Kamran Khursheed.
The JIT shall have the power to engage and associate local and foreign experts to facilitate the investigation and collection of evidence.
As the JIT, in essence and substance, is acting on the direction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, all the executive authorities throughout Pakistan shall act in aid of the team.
Moreover, the JIT has been directed to commence and complete the investigation and submit its final report in stipulated time period. NNI