ISLAMABAD: A single member bench comprising a sitting judge of the Supreme Court will be constituted for investigation into Panama Papers. The Apex court also declared all the petitions filed over Panama Leaks issue as admissible
This was announced by Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali while hearing the case of Panama Papers in Islamabad on Thursday.
The Chief Justice said that the commission will have all the powers of the apex court.
Anwar Zaheer Jamali said that the court will not drag proceedings of the case. He made it clear that the court will not be bound to the terms of reference of the parties rather it will be for the bench to fix the terms of reference for the commission.
Earlier, the counsel of the government, Salman Butt presented before the court the reply of the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister, in his reply, submitted that he does not own any offshore entity. The reply states that the Prime Minister regularly pays taxes as per the law and submits the details of assets with the Election Commission of Pakistan.He said his children are not dependent on him.
During the hearing, Maryram Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz were directed to submit their formal replies in the case till Monday.
The Supreme Court (SC) declared all the petitions filed over Panama Leaks issue as admissible.
Sources told that chief of Awami Muslim League (AML) Sheikh Rasheed presented his Terms of References (ToRs) in the court on which the larger bench headed by Anwar Zaheer Jamali remarked that the judiciary is not bound to work according to your terms.
The court ordered all other petitioners and the prime minister’s counsel to submit their ToRs by Monday.
The court has said that in the event that both parties do not form a consensus on ToRs, it will decide the terms itself. The Panamagate commission will report to the SC, and will hold powers equal to the apex court, the SC has said. The five-member bench of the apex court also reserves the powers to appoint the head and members of the proposed commission. INP