JIT forced persons to become witness against Sharif family: Dr Musadiq

ISLAMABAD, July 6 (APP): Spokesman to Prime Minister Dr Musadiq
Malik 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 here, 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
narrated 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.