ISLAMABAD, July 6 (APP): Spokesman to Prime Minister Dr Musadiq Malik here on Thursday said conduct of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) raised doubts and reservations as during its investigation it forced persons to become witnesses against the Sharif family.
Addressing a press conference, he said Tariq Shafi, cousin of Prime Minister, who appeared before JIT, was intimidated and forced to retract his statement and affidavit given in favour of the Sharif family. Shafi was threatened that he could be sent to prison for 15 years, if he did not withdraw his statement, he added. He said JIT was trying to find a witness like Masood Mehmood, who turned against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and led to his hanging.
Dr Musadiq said it seemed that JIT members had a pre determined plan in their mind and their conduct smacked of conspiracy. It seemed either JIT was trying to get extension of another 60 days or create conditions for an undemocratic dispensation, he added. He revealed that phones of Prime Minister House were taped and record of Twitter and WhatsApp accounts related to PML-N leaders was collected and then given to the Supreme Court.
Later on, selective photos at JIT premises were leaked and then JIT told SC that it took action against an known person of an unknown institution for leaking the photo. He said after the Supreme Court decision, PMLN distributed sweets so that it could get justice according to law and constitution. It did not distribute sweets for taping of phones of Prime Minister House and intimidation of persons appearing before JIT, he added.
He said the cabinet gave state authority to JIT to collect evidence from abroad under the mutual legal assistance agreements with the foreign governments. JIT did not bother to visit abroad to verify the authenticity of the documents given to it, he noted.
He said Sharif family submitted in Supreme Court that in late 1970s, it bought Gulf Steel Mills and later with its sale proceeds invested with the Qatari Royal family. Later, with this investment the Sharif family bought flats in London in 2006, he added.
He said JIT members should have visited Qatar to verify account of the Sharif family. Qatari prince in his three letters confirmed that the events naarrated by the Sharif family were correct and he was ready to affirm the facts in person when the JIT comes to Qatar, he added.
He asked why the JIT members did not go to Qatar to verify the facts given by the Sharif family and the Qatari prince. Despite various legal protections, he said Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif presented himself before the court so that he could gain moral high ground in the eyes of people of Pakistan, he explained. He said the Prime Minister wanted to continue with the legal proceedings despite the use of words like “Godfather” and “Sicilian Mafia”. He said any extension in period of JIT would be aimed at maligning of the PML-N government. He said the process of JIT should be based on fairness.
APP/zaheer/anm
