Panamagate: Pak SC asks Sharif family to establish ownership of Minerva Financial Services Ltd

The Pakistan Supreme Court on Friday said that if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family is unable to establish ownership of Minerva Financial Services Limited, the court would have to assume that charges leveled against the Premier's family by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are true.

Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, who was heading the larger bench hearing the case, cautioned the Sharif lawyers that if they were unable to establish ownership of Minerva Financial Services Limited, the court would have to 'imagine' that what Pakistan PTI lawyers claim is true, reports the Dawn.

PTI has been trying to establish that Maryam Nawaz, and not her brother Hussain Nawaz as claimed by the party earlier, was the beneficial owner of Minerva which held Nescoll Limited and Nielson Enterprises Limited - the owners of the four London flats.

Justice Khosa warned those involved in the case that the court has the power to summon past records and should not be deemed powerless.

Bokhari claimed the flats had been bought between 1993-1996, under the name of the premier's daughter, Maryam Nawaz, who he said was underage at the time.

He added that the Prime Minister had gifted his daughter Rs 37 million in 2011, and that gifts of over Rs30m were given in 2013.

The next hearing has been adjourned until Monday, Jan 9.