ISLAMABAD: Rejecting a Supreme Court judicial commission to probe the infamous Panamagate scandal, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Thursday urged an existing larger bench of the court to continue hearing the case.
Speaking to media representatives in the federal capital, Khan said he would only accept a commission on the condition that Nawaz Sharif must resign first as the prime minister of Pakistan.
On Wednesday, the apex court sought suggestions from petitioners and defendants of the case before adjourning the case hearing until December 9.
“The commission will be made on the basis of accusations levelled by PTI and will be headed by a Supreme Court judge,” Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali said yesterday.
“Commission will file its report in front of the Supreme Court,” he added.
Provided all the parties in the case agreed on a commission, it would give petitioners and defendants, equal opportunity to present their case and would also get assistance from all institutions, the court maintained.
Even yesterday, PTI showed reservations regarding conditions on which the Panamagate commission would be made and its terms of references (TORs) and insisted that the court must clarify and explain details for the commission first.
During the case hearing on Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan was awaiting Sharif family’s response over offshore companies, Maryam Nawaz’s financial and legal status and about the accuracy of premier’s past speeches on the issue.
However, PM’s counsel could not respond to any of the aforementioned questions satisfactorily.
