SC forms JIT to probe Nawaz's role in 1985 Pakpattan shrine land case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday constituted a joint investigation (JIT) team to probe the role of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the case related to the transfer of land of the Pakpattan shrine in 1985.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the suo motu case pertaining to the transfer of 14,000 kanals of land of the Pakpattan shrine to Dewan Ghulam Qutab in 1985. Nawaz was the then-chief minister of Punjab province when the land in question was transferred.

After hearing the arguments, the top court constituted a three-member JIT to probe the case. The JIT will be headed by National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Chairman Khaliq Dad Lak and comprise an official each of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

The rules and regulations of the JIT will be decided by December 27, the bench remarked. JIT members should appear before Supreme Court after submitting Terms of Reference (ToRs) by December 27, it added.

“The JIT will probe the role of then-chief minister of Punjab province Nawaz Sharif in the transfer of the land,” the SC bench further said

During the hearing, the chief justice remarked, “From the documents it is clear that Nawaz as Punjab chief minister transferred the Auqaf Department’s land to a private owner. Nawaz Sharif says he has no memory regarding this.”

Justice Nisar then asked Nawaz’s laywer, Barrister Zafarullah, who should they get the case investigated by to which he said, “You can ask anyone to probe it.”

“Nawaz says he did not de-notify the land. Do you know what the consequences will be if this is proven wrong,” Justice Nisar further said.

The bench then formed a JIT to probe Nawaz's role in the transfer of the land.

During the last hearing, the Supreme Court had summoned Nawaz and asked him to suggest how to probe the case against him. When the chief justice asked whether a JIT should probe the case, Nawaz had said some other body should probe the matter as his experience with JITs had not particularly been pleasant.