Pananmagate: SC dismisses charges against JIT members

The Apex Court on Saturday dismissed the petition filed by Hussain Nawaz seeking the replacement of two members of Joint Investigation Team, Bila Rasool and Ahmer Aziz to probe into the Panama papers case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family.

A three-member bench hearing the case noted that political rivalry cannot lead to apprehensions of the investigation being biased, reports the Dawn.

The judgment stated that there was no concrete matter substantiating the allegations made.

"The allegations thus being premature and unsubstantiated don't warrant substitution of any member of the JIT at least at this stage", the SC ruled.

However, the top court also stated, "In any case, if we notice any such thing evincing bias, partiality, or predisposition on the part of any member of the JIT in favour or against either of the parties during the course of investigation, we would pass an appropriate order in this behalf."

Hussain Nawaz, on May 27 had filed a petition against Bila Rasool and Ahmeer Aziz. He argued that Rasool of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan was a relative of Mian Azhar, a political rival of his father. Therefore, it would be impossible for the former to stay unbiased during the investigation.