05 July 2017•Update: 05 July 2017
By Aamir Latif
KARACHI, Pakistan
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter on Wednesday appeared before investigators probing the Panama papers scandal on the orders of the country’s top court.
Maryam Nawaz, accompanied by her husband, two brothers and several ministers, arrived at the heavily-fortified Federal Judicial Academy in capital Islamabad, where a six-member joint investigation team questioned her about alleged ownership of two off-shore companies, exposed by whistleblower Panama leaks last April.
Maryam, after recording her statement before investigators, addressed a brief news conference but refused to answer questions by reporters.
“I have answered whatever questions they [investigators] asked me,” Maryam said.
She claimed the investigators, who are bound by the Supreme Court to wrap up their investigations by July 10, had no answer when she had asked them about the accusations against her family.
“I asked the JIT what the accusation against us is. They had no answer to my question," she said.
The investigators, including members of the country's two top spy agencies -- Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence -- have already questioned Sharif, his two sons, his son-in-law, his brother, as well as two close aides in the past month.
The Supreme Court in May formed a six-member joint investigation team to probe the scandal after Sharif narrowly survived disqualification from office.
His center-right Pakistan Muslim League, which won the 2013 elections with a landslide majority, has accused the investigation team of harassing and pressurizing the witnesses for desired statements.
The investigators, deny the charge, and themselves accuse the government of hampering investigations.
Sharif, who is serving as premier for the third term, has lately come under immense pressure from the opposition and the media after the Panama Papers were leaked last year.
The leaks accuse his two sons -- Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz -- and daughter Maryam of owning offshore companies, and properties worth millions of dollars, including luxurious apartments in London.
The premier has rejected all accusations of financial irregularities against him. He has repeatedly said that all transactions made by his family members were fair and in accordance with the country’s laws.
