ISLAMABAD: Two members of the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) are en route to Doha to record the statement of Qatari Prince Hamad bin Jassim, sources said on Tuesday.
Sources said Military Intelligence’s Brig Kamran Khurshid and State Bank of Pakistan’s Amer Aziz left Islamabad early Tuesday morning via Emirates flight EK-615.
They have reached Dubai and will now be proceeding to Doha to record the prince’s statement. However, what would otherwise have been a short trip from Dubai to Doha via the same airline will take much longer now after major Middle Eastern airlines stopped flying to Doha after Saudi Arabia, UAE and other countries cut off all ties with the kingdom.
Sources had earlier claimed that only one JIT member would be proceeding to record the prince’s statement on July 6.
On Monday, addressing the media after Hasan Nawaz’s appearance before the JIT, Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Asif Kirmani said the JIT report cannot be completed without recording the statement of the Qatari prince.
Talking about the Qatari prince, whose letter came to the aid of the Sharif family during the Panama Papers case hearing by the Supreme Court earlier this year, Kirmani said the royal family member has repeatedly requested the JIT to record his statement but they have not done so.
“The JIT report will be incomplete till the Qatari prince’s letter has been made part of the record,” he claimed.
As per the JIT’s statements in the Supreme Court, the Qatari prince had refused to come to Pakistan to record his statement citing security concerns. He later opted to record his statement with the JIT if it travels to Qatar to do so.
“The JIT has taken a u-turn from the real issues….their original mandate. They were supposed to acquire details on the London apartments, for which the Qatari letter is adequate,” added Kirmani. If this is not carried out, party workers across the country will have reservations over the JIT’s report, he said further.
Earlier on Monday, reports said the JIT had refused to provide the questionnaire the Qatari prince had asked for before recording his statement.
“We are in receipt of your letter dated June 11, 2017…. Although the JIT would have appreciated your appearance in Pakistan, we understand your compulsions and prevailing circumstances, owing to which we accept the offer to the Members of JIT to visit you at Doha to investigate the contents of the two letters submitted by you voluntarily in the…Supreme Court…,†reads the JIT’s letter to the prince dated June 22.
The JIT letter clarifies to the Qatari prince that no questionnaire will be provided and that the proceedings will be recorded for the accuracy of the transcription.
“No persons shall accompany/assist the witness during the investigation including lawyers/accountants,†it adds.
Geo News had reported on June 14 that JIT had received a second letter from Qatari Prince.
Sources had said that the detailed letter informed the JIT that the royal family member has no qualms if investigators visit him in Doha to record his statement.
Prior to that, the JIT had written twice to the prince to record his statement regarding the prime minister’s family’s business dealings abroad.
The Sharif family had earlier submitted a letter by the Qatari prince in the Supreme Court aiding the premier’s defence of his money trail during the Panama case hearing.
Sources in the premier’s inner circle had confirmed the contents and delivery of the letter and said the Qatari prince’s statement will help their case profoundly.
