The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday adjourned the hearing of reopening of Panama Papers case for one month.
A bench comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan took up the case filed in August 2016 by the Jamaat-e-Islami. The party, in its fresh petition, prayed the top court to direct the federation to initiate an inquiry into the Panama Leaks under Article 184(3) of the Constitution without mentioning the name of any politician or businessman involved in the scam.
Justice Massod told the JI counsel that in 2017, the matter was delinked on your request.
At that time, the Supreme Court gave verdict against only one man (former prime minister Nawaz Sharif).
Justice Masood asked the lawyer why he didn’t request the bench at that time to investigate and hear the case against all 436 people named in the papers.
The JI lawyer requested the court to order NAB to investigate the case. On it, the judge asked him whether he moved NAB or any other institution to investigate the case during the last seven years.
The judge questioned him have you fulfilled your obligation.
Justice Masood observed that was it the duty of the Supreme Court to do everything? How the court order investigation against 436 people without giving them notice?
The judge observed that setting up an offshore company is not a crime. The basic question is to find how the company was established. Issuing any orders against 436 people will be against justice.
The court issued notices to Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan and others and adjourned the hearing.
