Pak SC receives officials' names for Panama Papers investigation team

The departments tasked with deputing a representative each to the joint investigation team (JIT), which will probe the money laundering case against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, have submitted lists of the proposed names to the Supreme Court.

The JIT, announced by the Supreme Court in its Panamagate verdict, is to be led by a director-general level FIA officer is to include officials from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), the State Bank of Pakistan, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence.

"The Supreme Court has received names from the six government departments," The Dawn quoted a source, as saying.

The Supreme Court had directed the departments concerned to furnish three names each, from which one each would be picked by the Supreme Court to form a six-member JIT.

Soon after the announcement of the JIT by the apex court in its Panamagate verdict, many expressed concern that the probe team would just prove to be a "dry-cleaning shop" for the Sharif family. Others believed that it essentially placed the Prime Minister at the mercy of the Pakistan Army.

Though the names of the committee representatives have not been officially released, it is believed that the FIA has furnished the names of three addition director generals, namely Wajid Zia, Ahmed Latif and Dr. Shafeeq.

Wajid Zia belongs to the police cadre and has also served in the Intelligence Bureau (IB), as did Ahmed Latif.