I've accounted for every penny, says Sharif

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday appeared for thr first time before a judicial panel probing the familys offshore properties in line with the apex courts verdict in the Panamagate case.

"Today, I have just presented my stance before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT)," said the Prime Minister adding that all sources of his assets were already submitted to relevant authorities.

"A historic day for Pakistan's judiciary, I and my whole family have presented ourselves for accountability."

"Is there any family in Pakistan that has appeared for accountability other than mine," asked Sharif, stating it was the third time the family appeared before the court.

"My personal businesses have nothing to do with federal treasury. And no matter how many conspiracies my rivals are hatching, they will not be successful," he said.

Sharif, ahead of appearing before the JIT, met his close aides including Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, reports The News International.

Sharif became the first sitting Pakistani Prime Minister to appear before a judicial panel.

Before this, former Prime Ministers Yousuf Raza Gillani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf were the only ones summoned by the Supreme Court. Ashraf was a respondent in the rental power case before the National Accountability Bureau, but never personally appeared before investigators while in office.

The JIT is conducting its proceedings at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) here.

On June 8, the team issued summons asking the Prime Minister to appear before the panel on Thursday.

The JIT questioned Hussain Nawaz, the Prime Minister's elder son, on May 28.

Hussain has made five appearances before the JIT so far. The panel has also grilled Sharif's younger son, Hassan.

In its judgement of April 20 in the Panama Papers case, the Supreme Court had constituted the JIT and empowered it to summon the Prime Minister, his sons and any other person necessary, to investigate allegations of money laundering, through which four apartments in London's Park Lane area were purchased.

--IANS

ahm/dg