ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will announce its verdict over Hussain Nawaz’s objection to the recording of the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT)’s sessions at 1pm today.
The special implementation bench formed to oversee the JIT’s proceedings had on June 14 reserved its decision over the prime minister’s son’s petition challenging the recording of JIT’s proceedings after his interrogation picture was leaked to the media.
The three-member is headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprises Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh.
The JIT is conducting a probe into the prime minister’s family’s international business assets in light of the Supreme Court’s April 20 judgment.
The bench will also hear on Tuesday (today) the attorney general’s response to the court’s questions regarding the role of the Intelligence Bureau with regards to the case.
At a previous hearing on Wednesday, Hassan’s counsel Khawaja Harris reiterated his client’s plea that the JIT proceedings should not be recorded on video.
“JIT has no control on the CCTV cameras,†he said, commenting on the JIT’s report on the issue which was submitted to the court on June 12.
Justice Khan had observed that recordings are carried out so as to maintain accurate transcripts, adding that the facts of the case are not being affected by the procedure. The nature of statements also does not change because of it, he commented further.
Justice Sheikh questioned the petitioner as to what damage the leaking of his picture had done to him? He further commented that the recording of proceedings will help him more than it can hurt him.
In his response to the JIT’s report over the leaked picture, Hussain had termed it a combination of contradictions.
In the response, the premier’s son alleged that the picture was leaked from the JIT’s side, adding that the control of the CCTV cameras is also with the JIT.
The response stated that the JIT in its response admitted to the court had confessed to leaking the picture. He also said that the name and designation of the person leaking the picture has been kept secret.
Regarding the leaking of Hussain’s picture, the JIT had said it took action within 24 hours of the picture’s circulation in the media. It stated that necessary action was taken against the official responsible for the leak, who was reverted to his parent department and punished accordingly.
The picture, where Hussain can be seen sitting in what is reportedly the interrogation room of the JIT on May 28, went viral on social media after being leaked surreptitiously.
That was Hussain’s first appearance before the JIT. He has since been summoned by the high-profile probe team for a total of five times.
