Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son appeared before an investigation team probing the assets of his family, which were disclosed in the Panama Papers leaks.
Hussain Nawaz was grilled for almost two hours by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Sunday, which comprises financial experts, investigators and representatives from intelligence agencies.
The Prime Minister’s family is accused of purchasing four expensive flats in London worth millions of dollars. In their defence, Mr. Sharif’s sons claimed that the flats were originally purchased by a Qatar-based firm in which they had invested. Later, in 2000, the flats were transferred to Hussain.
The Panama Papers disclosed that Mr. Sharif’s family created offshore accounts to purchase the flats, which were remained hidden from tax authorities in Pakistan.
The JIT is investigating the money trail of the Prime Minister’s family as revealed in the leaks. The Supreme court took up the case last year and in its judgment held that an investigation team should probe the money trail after Mr. Sharif’s family failed to produce a clear money trail to establish the amassing of assets abroad.
Earlier, Mr. Hussain Nawaz told the media that he not not been given any questions in advance by the agency. He has raised objections about two of the JIT members, alleging that they support Opposition parties.
The agency has been given 60 days by the apex court to decide the matter. If proven guilty, Mr. Nawaz Sharif can be dismissed and declared ineligible from politics forever. But, PML(N) leaders insisted that Mr. Sharif and his family will come out clean.
