Panamagate Case: Maryam Nawaz submits reply in SC

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Maryam Nawaz Sharif, daughter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has on Tuesday submitted reply and additional documents in the Supreme Court. A five member larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa resumed hearing of the Panamagate Case against the prime minister and his family members. During the proceedings, Shahid Hamid, the counsel of Maryam Nawaz, submitted reply of his client before the court containing details of assets and taxes paid by her on agriculture and non-agriculture income. In her reply, Maryam Nawaz said that she is dependent on her father since her marriage. She further stated that her spouse also pays his taxes regularly. She further said that she paid Rs 5 million under joint expenditure in year 2013, while Rs 6 million were paid in year 2014 and 2015. She detailed that out of 384 kanals of Shamim Agri farms, 364 kanals were being supervised by her grandmother Shamim Akhter. “I paid more than Rs 12 million as tax in 2016’ she clarified in her response. Makhdoom Ali Khan, the counsel of the Prime Minister presented his arguments before the bench. In his arguments, he said that under Article 66 of the constitution, the Prime Minister’s speech in the parliament has immunity to which the top court remarked that that was not a usual speech but Nawaz Sharif had presented his stance on a important issue. The PM’s lawyer further said that the prime minister’s office has an immunity under Article-248. Makhdoom Ali Khan went on to say that Article-19 allows everyone to exercise his or her right of free speech. “The premier is seeking his right on the basis of article 66,” he added. The court adjourned the hearing till tomorrow (Wednesday).