ISLAMABAD, JAN 04, (DNA) – A new five-member larger bench of the apex court resumed fresh hearing of the Panama Leaks case today (Wednesday).

The larger bench led by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa has been formed for January 4, 5 and 6 and includes two new judges, Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan and Justice Gulzar Ahmad. The other judges are Justice Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan.

On December 9, a five-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by former Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, had adjourned hearing until the first week of January 2017 after the PTI objected to the formation of a commission proposed by the bench, and stressed that the said bench should decide the matter in the interest of justice.

In the latest development in the case, the Prime Minister and his children have changed their legal team. The Prime Minister is being represented by Makhdoom Ali Khan, while Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar is being represented by Shahid Hamid. Salman Akram Raja will represent Hussain Nawaz.

Hearing to be held on daily basis: SC

During the proceedings, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said that the hearing will be conducted on a daily basis. He asked the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawyer Naeem Bukhari to plead the case in the court and not in the media.

To this Bukhari said, he had never talked about the case to the media.

In his arguments, Naeem Bukhari referred to the Prime Minister speech to the nation on April 5 where he stated that he had evidence of his investments in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Bukhari said that the Prime Minister had lied therefore he was neither Sadiq nor Ameen (truthful and trustworthy), and therefore he should be disqualified.

He said that an affidavit by Tariq Shafi was fake.

Justice Aijaz-ul-Haq asked for documents from 1993 that prove that the Nescol company is owned by Hussain Nawaz.

Bukhari said, “This is the only mystery in the case.”

Justice Khosa replied, “Ownership of Neilson and Nescol before 2006 is what you [Bukhari] have to prove.”

“Do the Panama documents have any legal standing,” asked Justice Gulzar.

New year, new bench, but same old arguments: Talal

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz leader Talal Chaudhry said that the Panama Leaks hearing has resumed on a new year, with a new bench, but the same old allegations were being hurled at them.

“There is no difference between unverified documents and garbage,” he said, a jibe at evidence PTI submitted in the court.

PML-N leader Tariq Chaudhry said that the judiciary was an institution in which all parties had put their trust in, except the PTI. “We will satisfy both- the court and the people,” he said.=DNA

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