Discrepancies in JIT documents

ISLAMABAD: Nawaz Sharif was disqualified on the basis of documents which appear to have been forged as wrong passport number was entered in addition to conflicting details about his tenure as Chairman of Capital FZE. A uniform logo wasn’t used and the date format and stamps also vary from document to document.

That Mian Nawaz Sharif’s role in papers as Chairman of the Capital FZE though hasn’t been disputed, this doesn’t grant anybody a licence to doctor the documents as appears to be the case. Considering the misrepresentation of facts has been done by Jabel Ali Free Zone administration, it again calls into question the authenticity of its official record.

If the Qatari letter left many questions unanswered about the money trail of the Sharif family, the letter purportedly signed by Jebel Ali Free Zone administrator has raised questions about its credibility. This is the latest among the documents produced in connection with the Capital FZE. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been disqualified on the basis of information contained in the letter which has not come from official channel. On whose request it was drafted, remains a mystery.

The Joint Investigation Team received this letter five days before the submission of the final report in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. It has certified that Nawaz Sharif, the “holder of Pakistani passport number BV5128631 was employed by Capital FZE, as a Chairman of the Board from 07-08-2006 until 20-o4-2014.”

The News examined the nomination papers of Mian Nawaz Sharif. The Iqama wasn’t stamped on the passport number BV5128631. This was issued on January 18, 2008 for five years until January 17, 2013. However, Nawaz Sharif got renewed passport (BV5128362) on February 7, 2012 and the Iqama was stamped on it, not on BV5128631, hence the detail about the passport given in the letter is inaccurate.

The Free Zone administration was supposed to be aware of the passport used for stamping the Iqama instead of the one never used for the purpose. This raises questions as to how come the administration came to know about the passport never used for this purpose. Also the fact remains that Mian Nawaz Sharif’s passport (BV5128362) has been in use since 2012 and the administration must write about it instead of the expired passport.

Another discrepancy has been noted in the period of his appointment. This purported official letter describes Nawaz Sharif’s date of appointment (August 7, 2006) as Chairman of Capital FZE whereas another document (Employment Contract Amendment) submitted by the JIT says his contract was revised from Business Manager to the Chairman of Board from February 4, 2007. His employment contract letter has noted some crossings on typed words which hasn’t been counter-signed. However, such corrections in another document have been counter-signed.

The stamp used on the Free Zone administrator’s letter has noted an additional line “Government of Dubai” mentioned in it which is missing in other stamps. As a matter of fact, the free zone is a separate area and it is an offshore jurisdiction. Bearing “Government of Dubai” signature will technically transform it into onshore jurisdiction with all laws applicable which isn’t the case. Variation in logo’s placement has also been noted. It is on the right side in other letters whereas on the left side on the letter received by the JIT on July 4, 2017.

This article was originally published in The News

Originally published in The News