Documents submitted against Maryam Nawaz fake: Counsel

ISLAMABAD: Maryam Nawaz’s counsel Shahid Hamid on Wednesday said that documents submitted in Supreme Court against Maryam Nawaz were fake.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on Wednesday resumed hearing the Panama Leaks case.

In his remarks, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan stated that Maryam Nawaz is accused of being Nawaz Sharif's frontman.

To this Maryam Nawaz's counsel, Shahid Hamid said that this allegation has to be proven by the petitioner.

Maryam Nawaz is not a public concern: Counsel

During the proceeding today Maryam Nawaz’s counsel Shahid Hamid responded to allegations of the prosecutors. He argued that Maryam Nawaz does not own any property abroad and the London flats belong to her brother Hussain Nawaz.

Earlier, he had challenged the judicial jurisdiction for the trial of Maryam Nawaz in the Panama Leaks case. In his reply, he had stated that Maryam Nawaz is not the beneficial owner of the London Flats. He has argued that even though Maryam Nawaz is the Prime Minister’s daughter she does not hold a public office and is, therefore, an ordinary citizen.

The court asked counsel Shahid Hamid on Wednesday if he had any reservations over the authority of the Supreme Court to hear the petitions.

To this Shahid Hamid said that he was merely responding to questions raised by the apex court. He added that even if Maryam Nawaz owned property abroad it was not a public concern.

Justice Gulzar remarked that the issue was a public concern as the Prime Minister was involved in the case.

The counsel argued that documents submitted against Maryam Nawaz were fake.

Justice Azmat drew Shahid Hamid’s attention to an email from 2004 where Maryam Nawaz had accepted that she was the beneficial owner for Nielson and Nescoll, the offshore companies which own the London flats.

The hearing has been adjourned till Thursday.

"Rivals scared of Maryam Nawaz"

Speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, State Minister for Information Maryam Aurangzeb said that the court clarified that documents that are portrayed as revelations on television screens have already been submitted as evidence in the court. "They are scared and that is why they are hurling false allegations against Maryam Nawaz," she said.

PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry said that their rivals were creating hurdles for Maryam Nawaz's entry into politics.

"Entire case revolves around Maryam Nawaz"

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan said that the real question in the case was if Maryam Nawaz was a trustee or beneficial owner. "Because if she is the beneficial owner then it means that Nawaz Sharif bought the London flats."

He added that he did not like speaking ill about women, but this entire case revolved around Maryam Nawaz who was the Prime Minister's "frontman or benami".

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry reiterated that the Supreme Court should allow live streaming of the court proceeding so that people can find out who the liars are.