Live from courtroom: Offshore accounts issue comes full circle in Imran disqualification case – Geo News, Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: It feels like 'moving' in full circle. A few months ago, lawyers representing Imran Khan pleaded for conviction of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif because his children allegedly had piles of ill-gotten money in their offshore accounts overseas.

On Wednesday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman faced almost similar charges in the same courtroom. The only difference was that Mr Khan was not present to see Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's attorneys putting forward their arguments.

The issue of offshore accounts abroad came full circle in the Courtroom No1 when Akram Sheikh, counsel for PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi, pleaded for Imran Khans disqualification alleging that he has concealed facts in documents submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Federal Board of Revenue.

Perhaps it was a tough day for PTI's third-tier leadership in the court as judges looked keener to hear arguments of the petitioner's lawyer who kept focus on Article 62 (1) F and Article 63 (1) P. Sheikh argued that Mr Khan is not sagacious, righteous and non-profligate, pleading the court that the PTI chief be disqualified from being member of the Majlis-i-Shura for the time being.

The atmosphere in the court was as energetic as the audience witnessed from January 3 to February 23 in this very courtbut this time only in PML-N camp.

Top leadership of PTI and PML-N could not be seen inside or outside the countrys top court. This correspondent also did not see unusual security arrangements as was witnessed during the Panama Papers case hearing.

During the course of proceeding many senior lawyers were heard whispering that first Sharifs lawyers were arguing on technical grounds now the respondents counsels are seeking dismissal of the petition on same technical grounds.

Naeem Bokhari, counsel for Imran Khan, and Hanif Abbasi sat together for around 100 minutesoverall time for Wednesday's hearing. A thoughtful Naeem-ul-Haq could be seen sitting next to them.

When Chief Justice Saqib Nisar questioned Akram Sheikh under which laws his client sought disqualification of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PTI General Secretary Jehangir Tareen, Sheikh in a calling-a-spade-a spade manner cited Articles 62 and 63 of the 1973 Constitution.

The courtroom almost filled up before the proceedings started at 11:30AM. Akram Sheikh took the rostrum where he focused on three important points of this case. Key striking point included foreign funding to PTI.

Under Article 17 (3) foreign funding to a political party is illegal, argued Sheikh. Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Umar Atta Bandial were also part of this three-member bench in the court where lawyers and journalists were amused to hear that PTI took foreign funds worth millions of dollars. Mr Khans loyalty to Pakistan is questionable after he received $2.3 million in foreign funding using PTIs name. This is prohibited under the Political Parties Order 2002 and Article 17 of the constitution, Sheikh told the bench of the apex court.

PML-N leader Daniyal Aziz and Hanif Abbasi were in constant communication over whether to talk to media after the proceedings or not as the petitioners counsel, as the judges had warned that parties should avoid media talk on this case in the courts premises.

As the apex court adjourned hearing of the case till Friday (today), lawyers and PTI leaders Arif Alvi and Naeem-ul-Haq rushed to the Courtroom No2 where the decision on the formation of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was being given. The JIT that would probe the prime minister and his two sons who are facing similar charges of holding offshore accounts, property and business abroad.

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Live from courtroom: Offshore accounts issue comes full circle in Imran disqualification case - Geo News, Pakistan