Panama case: Recap of Tuesday's proceedings

ISLAMABAD: It was a new day in Courtroom No-II of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) and a new legal strategy by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s team to save the premier from possible disqualification.

As the hearing of the Panama case was moving towards it decisive phase today, top legal experts of the Sharif family and the second-tier leadership of PML-N were formulating plans regarding extricating the prime minister from the crisis.

"Come what may, we will stand by our leader,” whispered a PML-N leader to a PPP senior leader.

In a crowded courtroom, many were whispering and wondering whether Khawaja Haris Ahmed, counsel for the prime minister, would live up to the expectations of his client.

Those in attendance could also be heard asking regarding Salman Akram Raja, counsel for the premier’s children, and his probable strategy.

"It is yet to be determined by the SC whether the prime minister owns property in question or not, so Sharifs' lawyers are going to convince the judges that Respondent No I (Nawaz Sharif) has no direct connection with them [London flats, HEM and FZE Capital]," an aide of the Sharif family told this correspondent.

“It will be counted as Haris’s greatest achievement if he succeeds in freeing his client from his current legal predicament,” gossiped lawyers and politicians.

Hundreds of those present in the courtroom – lawyers, journalists and politicians – were witnessing a historic moment in Pakistan’s history.

Participants of the proceedings also recalled that July, historically, has brought dangerous moments in the political history of the Sharif family.

July may bring a decisive moment for the political fate of Sharif and his children, said a member of parliament.

Regarding Maryam Nawaz’s case, many lawyers were of the view that her counsel would argue that if the trust deed was proved to be not fake, then the case might be pleaded separately in a trial court.

“Maryam may prove to be a lucky lady, her case might be dropped on legal grounds,” a senior lawyer observed.

During the course of proceedings, some legal minds were of the view that the apex court could summon the prime minister to re-examine his statement which he recorded with the Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which claimed that Nawaz did not cooperate with them.

The session then resumed after a break, and Haris was seen struggling to convince the honourable judges that the prime minister was not getting any direct benefits from his children’s business. He also argued that the JIT members did not follow the proper procedure and laws in regards to Mutual Legal Assistance (MLS) and that the JIT even worked beyond its scope.

Once again, today those present were asking whether the SC would pass a declaration against Nawaz under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

Surprisingly, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s (PTI) top leadership, including counsel Naeem Bukhari, were missing from the proceedings.

Haris is expected to complete his arguments on Wednesday, and counsel for Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Dr Tariq, will resume his arguments.