Pakistani team to begin probe into Sharif's assets

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed by the Pakistan Supreme Court for the implementation of the Panama leaks verdict, met on Tuesday ahead of formally launching an investigation into Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's assets.

Wajid Zia, Additional Director at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) who is heading the six-member JIT, was chairing the session to set out investigation methods for implementing the apex court's Panamagate verdict, reports Geo TV.

Last month's verdict said there was not enough evidence to disqualify Sharif, but in a 3-2 judgement the Supreme Court ordered a fresh probe into allegations against the Prime Minister of financial irregularities and money laundering.

The court also ordered to provide the JIT an initial amount of 20 million Pakistani rupees ($190,794) to carry out the probe.

The team of investigators has decided to seek assistance from the FIA and experts from the private sector.

The head of the JIT has already written a letter to FIA's Director General in this regard.

Earlier on Monday, JIT members met at the Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad, which has now been declared the JIT Secretariat, Geo TV reported.

The members also moved their offices to the location ahead of the investigation.

Along with the Prime Minister, the apex court also cleared his daughter Maryam Nawaz in the Panama Papers case.

Last year's Panama Papers leaks, which documented the offshore dealings of many of the world's rich and powerful, alleged that Maryam was the beneficial owner of the London properties owned jointly by her brothers as well.

Other members of the investigation team include Brigadier Kamran Khurshid from the Military Intelligence (MI), Amer Aziz from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Bilal Rasool, an executive director at the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Irfan Naeem Mangi, a Director at the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and Brigadier Muhammad Nauman Saeed from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

--IANS

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