All records of Sharifs from 1980 provided to JIT: FBR

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Dr. Muhammad Irshad said on Friday that he had submitted all records pertaining to the Sharif family from 1980 till the present day to the Joint Investigation Team.

According to details, Dr. Muhammad Irshad said that he could not understand what record the Joint Investigation Team was referring to when it stated that the FBR had not submitted it.

"Whatever records the Joint Investigation Team asked for were given to them," he said. "Nothing was hidden from the JIT," he added.

The Chairman FBR said that as per law it was necessary to file the wealth statement every year.

In a hearing of the Panama Leaks implementation case, the Joint Investigation Team had complained to the Supreme Court of Pakistan that the FBR was not providing it with documents pertaining to certain key persons despite repeated requests.

The Joint Investigation Team has been tasked with probing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's alleged offshore wealth, which was brought to light in the Panama Leaks scandal. 

Meanwhile, former interior minister Rehman Malik appeared before the Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Friday and presented documents relevant to the probe of assets owned by premier's family, claiming those to be money laundering evidence.

Following the session with Panamagate JIT, Rehman Malik said that his appearance before the probing team has proven the rumours wrong that suggested Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) would protect the Sharif family from accountability as result of negotiations.

Talking to media after appearing before the JIT, he confirmed the submission of two letters written to former president Muhammad Rafique Tarar and other evidences pertaining to money laundering by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1990s.

"I [have] submitted all details of the investigation that was carried out under my supervision with regard to money laundering by the premier," Malik said.

Rehman Malik has said that he would tender resignation if his name is found involved in any offshore company. The former interior minister said that he had confirmed each and every word of his report. My report is already with the Supreme Court. I am here neither to trap someone nor to save anyone.

He went on saying that he could share the details of the session held with the Panamagate JIT in compliance with the investigation team's instructions. However, he opined that the details would be made public within 15 to 20 days [as result of the JIT's final report].

Malik said he appeared before the JIT without any political agenda and acted in a non-partisan manner to record his statement.

It is worth mentioning here that Malik served Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as Additional Director General in 1990s and a money laundering probe against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was carried out under his supervision back in 1994-95.

Briefing media earlier today before having a session with the JIT, he claimed that the JIT would need no further evidences after submission of the documents, which he was carrying along with him [with regard to Sharif family's money trail]. He also named the 10 investigators who were part of his team when he carried out a probe against the sitting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the mid 1990s.

"I will only come out after the judicial academy building, once the JIT would be fully satisfied with all questions relating the money laundering by Sharif family," he asserted.

Malik said that he is a hockey player and he intends to score a goal today before JIT proceeding inside the judicial academy building.

The JIT had initially summoned Malik to appear on June 13, but he was in London, so he requested for another date for appearance. He was now summoned to appear before the JIT on June 23, Friday.

A day before the Supreme Court had directed the JIT, headed by FIA's additional director general Wajid Zia, to submit its final report of investigation on July 10.

During the hearing of the Panama Papers implementation case, the JIT submitted third fortnight report prepared in the light of questioning of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and PM's sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz.

The JIT is yet to record the statement of Captain (retd) Safdar, who would appear before it on June 24. A day before yesterday it had rejected his plea for rescheduling his appearance before it owing to his planned trip to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah this week.

The JIT, however, ordered the prime minister's son-in-law to appear on June 24 as per the initial orders.

The JIT has to submit its last fortnightly report to the bench by July 7, if the deadline of the probe is not extended by the court.

The JIT has been given 60 days to probe Sharif family's properties and the money trail behind it as part of the verdict announced in the Panama Papers case. The Supreme Court reviews progress of the investigation after every fortnight. - NNI