Sharif appears before Panama Papers probe panel

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday appeared before a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in connection with the Panama Papers probe into his family's assets, the media reported.

He met his close aides including Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other senior advisers ahead of his appearance, reports The News International.

Sharif became the first sitting Pakistani Prime Minister to appear before an investigating body.

The JIT is conducting its proceedings at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) here.

The Prime Minister is requited to reply to 13 questions raised by the Supreme Court.

On June 8, the team issued summons asking Sharif to appear before the panel on Thursday, reports Dawn news.

The summons also instructed the Prime Minister to "kindly bring along relevant record/documents/material" related to the Panama Papers case which will entail nearly all the documents and evidence submitted before the Supreme Court by Sharif's counsel, Makhdoom Ali Khan.

The JIT had prepared the questionnaire for Sharif and his children last month.

It questioned Hussain Nawaz, the Prime Minister's elder son, on May 28.

Hussain has made five appearances before the JIT so far. The investigation team has also grilled younger son, Hassan.

In its judgement of April 20 in the Panama Papers case, the Supreme Court had constituted the JIT and empowered it to summon the Prime Minister, his sons and any other person necessary, to investigate allegations of money laundering, through which four apartments in London's Park Lane area were purchased.

The Prime Minister's son-in-law, retired Captain Mohammad Safdar, has also been summoned by the JIT on June 25.