The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have rejected the appointment of a former Supreme Court (SC) judge, Justice (r) Azmat Saeed Sheikh, as head of the probe into the Broadsheet scandal, stating that it is a “conflict of interest”.
The former SC judge has a past affiliation with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), as he had served as deputy prosecutor general of the anti-graft body during the original signing of the Broadsheet agreement.
“Conducting an investigation through someone who himself should be investigated is the murder of justice,” said PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb in a statement.
The statement further read: “Being a legal officer, he [Justice Sheikh] had fully understood the document of agreement with Broadsheet.”
According to the Supreme Court’s website, Justice Azmat was deputy prosecutor general NAB at Islamabad in the year 2000 for a period of one year and was later appointed special prosecutor NAB in 2001 to prosecute cases before Accountability Courts at Attock Fort and Rawalpindi.
However, it is not clear if the retired judge had played a role, if any, in the formulation and signing of the asset recovery agreement and/or its eventual termination.
“NAB, as an institution, is accused of causing losses to Pakistan from Broadsheet,” the spokesperson said and pointed out that the retired justice had been a member of the board of governors of the Shaukat Khanum Hospital. She claimed that this showed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s “ill-intent” behind handing over the Broadsheet inquiry to him.
“Imran should have the courage to tell the nation that he is the one who needs the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO),” said the PML-N spokesperson.
During the regime of former military ruler Pervez Musharaff, she further said, Azmat Saeed Sheikh was tasked with filing cases against the Sharif family and in particular against former premier and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
“The nation wants accountability for those who loot and squander their earnings, sprinkling salt on the wounds is not a joke,” said the statement.
Addressing a press conference later in the day, PML-N leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi pointed out that Justice (r) Azmat Saeed Sheikh was part of the bench in the Panama Papers case which disqualified Nawaz Sharif.
Iqbal also pointed out that during the Musharraf regime, when the asset recovery agreement was signed with Broadsheet, Justice Azmat had been part of NAB.
Similarly, PPP Secretary-General (SG) Nayyar Bukhari showed reservations on the inquiry committee termed it as an attempt to distort the facts.
He claimed that the dishonesty of the ruling party had been revealed through the appointment of the former judge. He also said that the purpose of appointing Justice Sheikh was to cast all blame “on the opposition and previous governments”.
“Broadsheet is a very important issue [so] we want a transparent investigation,” he said.
Expressing similar concerns on Sheikh’s past relations with NAB and the Shaukat Khanum hospital, the PPP SG claimed that this appointment was tantamount to “throwing dust in the eyes of the people”.
Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has also expressed reservations on the probe committee which is to be headed by former Supreme Court judge to investigate the Broadsheet scandal.
On the other hand, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, during a press conference in Karachi, defended the appointment of Justice Sheikh as head of the Broadsheet inquiry committee and said that Sheikh was a big name of the legal fraternity.
“And if we shouldn’t appoint Sheikh Azmat, should we appoint Justice Qayyum?” he asked, and further questioned if the selected probe head had ever been the prosecutor for NAB.
The interior minister advised the PML-N to “first read” before commenting on his appointment and reiterated his belief that the Broadsheet scandal would turn into “Panama part 2”.
Rashid said Justice Sheikh “had read Volume 10” of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report in the Panama Papers case, telling the PML-N: “This news is enough for you.”
A day earlier, Information Minister Shibli Faraz had said on Twitter said that the inquiry committee for the Broadsheet case would be headed by Justice (r) Azmat Saeed Sheikh.
He had made this announcement after a meeting of the National Assembly’s (NA) Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting regarding the ongoing saga with Broadsheet LLC.
In 2000, Broadsheet LLC — a company registered in the Isle of Man, tax heaven in the UK, and engaged by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) — helped the government and the newly-established accountability agency track down foreign assets of some 150 Pakistan nationals including members of the Sharif family acquired through ill-gotten wealth.
The agreement was terminated by the bureau in 2003, after which Broadsheet filed a claim with the High Court of Justice, London against Pakistan, seeking the award of $28.7 million.
In 2019, a separate claim filed with the high court showed the company has applied for permission to enforce its judgement that it be paid $22 million by the government of Pakistan in compensation.
The firm had also asked for an interest rate of $4,758 a day to be applied, jacking up the amount to $28.7 million. After the bureau failed to make the payment, the amount was reported to be debited from the accounts of the Pakistan High Commission in London.
