Panama Case - Post Verdict Discussion and Updates

[BHarwana]

Dafa 144 on Lahore airport.

 

[RIP Pak LAW]

where is @Champion_Usmani hiding ?

 

[Shane]

Lets take a look at what the book says about Nawaz Sharif (from page 82 onwards):

Nawaz Sharif...

During the 1980s and early 1990s, given Sharif ’s political control of
Punjab and eventual prime ministership of the country, Ittefaq Industries
grew from its original single foundry into 30 businesses producing steel,
sugar, paper, and textiles, with combined revenues of $400 million, making
it one of the biggest private conglomerates in the nation.

With Lahore, the capital of Punjab, serving as the seat of the family’s
power, one of the first things Sharif did upon becoming prime minister in
1990 was build his long-dreamed-of superhighway from there to the capital,
Islamabad. Estimated to cost 8.5 billion rupees, the project went through
two biddings. Daewoo of Korea, strengthening its proposals with midnight
meetings, was the highest bidder both times, so obviously it won the contract
and delivered the job at well over 20 billion rupees.

Sharif authorized importation of 50,000 vehicles duty free, reportedly costing the government $700 million in lost customs duties. Banks were forced to make loans for vehicle purchases to
would-be taxi cab drivers upon receipt of a 10 percent deposit. Borrowers got
their “Nawaz Sharif cabs,” and some 60 percent of them promptly defaulted.
This left the banks with $500 million or so in unpaid loans.

Under Sharif, unpaid bank loans and massive tax evasion remained the
favorite ways to get rich. Upon his loss of power the usurping government
published a list of 322 of the largest loan defaulters, representing almost $3
billion out of $4 billion owed to banks.

Sharif and his family were tagged for $60 million. The Ittefaq Group went bankrupt in 1993 when Sharif lost his premiership the first time. By then only three units in the group were operational, and loan defaults of the remaining companies totaled some 5.7 billion
rupees, more than $100 million.

Like Bhutto, offshore companies have been linked to Sharif, three in the
British Virgin Islands by the names of Nescoll, Nielson, and Shamrock68 and
another in the Channel Islands known as Chandron Jersey Pvt. Ltd.69 Some
of these entities allegedly were used to facilitate purchase of four rather
grand flats on Park Lane in London, at various times occupied by Sharif
family members. Reportedly, payment transfers were made to Banque
Paribas en Suisse, which then instructed Sharif ’s offshore companies Nescoll
and Nielson to purchase the four luxury suites.

...

The records, including government documents, signed affidavits from
Pakistani officials, bank files and property records, detail the benefited Mr. Sharif, his family and his political associates:

• At least $160 million pocketed from a contract to build a highway
from Lahore, his home town, to Islamabad, the nation’s capital.
• At least $140 million in unsecured loans from Pakistan’s state banks.
• More than $60 million generated from government rebates on
sugar exported by mills controlled by Mr. Sharif and his business
associates.
• At least $58 million skimmed from inflated prices paid for imported
wheat from the United States and Canada. In the wheat
deal, Mr. Sharif ’s government paid prices far above market value
to a private company owned by a close associate of his in Washington,
the records show. Falsely inflated invoices for the wheat generated
tens of millions of dollars in cash.

================================================================



The book excerpt above is just a glimpse of Nawaz Shairfs Corruption from the 80s and 90s and doesn't even encompass the rule in Punjab and Center since.

We now have Panama leaks that has disclosed some of their properties and bank accounts but a lot more still stands hidden from the law as was disclosed by DailyMail in its piece on just the London properties.

Imagine the loot and plunder worth tens of Billions of Rupees in just the 56 Companies scandal by Shahbaz. Then there is Sasti Roti Project loot, LAPTOP Scandal, Apna Rozgar Transport Scheme Scam, NandiPur Power Scam, QuaideAzam Solar Project embezzlement, Port Qasim Coal Power Scam, 200 Billion Rupees spent on Orange Line Train, 70 million Dollars donated by Mrs Obama for Education that was devoured by Maryam Nawaz without audit, LNG import rate Scam, LNG Terminal Scam, PIA Premium Service Scam etc etc etc are just the tip of the mountain of corruption that has almost drowned Pakistan in twice as much Foreign Debt than in the entire history of the Nation and has dwindled the foreign reserves of the country down to a paltry level.

Sir itna lamba.. iss ko tou parhnay main bhi time lagega.. abhi parhta hun detail main.

LOL, the entire book is 438 pages and I skimmed them and only managed to read the few pages on Pakistan so compared to that, my post is just a few related paragraphs.

 

[Zibago]

Dafa 144 on Lahore airport.

Overkill as nawaz really is incapable of creating a situation

 

[BHarwana]

Overkill as nawaz really is incapable of creating a situation

I still don't think Nawaz is coming. Every thing seems like an over Kill.

 

[Zibago]

I still don't think Nawaz is coming. Every thing seems like an over Kill.

Right to appeal will be lost if he does not

Haha i just love mah Isloo

@django

 

[Verve]

My friend! PMLN supporter who is still standing with the corrupt leadership after the eye opening events of last 2 years is not going to deter anymore. This is a stubborn, egoistic lot that does not want to accept that they have been fooled by Nawaz. They are so egoistic that they will go to any length and find any excuse, however illogical to continue to support Nawaz and Maryam no matter what...Even if they completely loot Pakistan down to zero...I have first hand experience with my educated in-laws

Unfortunately I am experiencing the same with my immediate family! Doctors and Post Doctorates inclusive are still Pro Nawaz! They all believe Army is behind everything.

I've given up tbh.

I'm the odd one, the only one!

 

[PakSword]

Overkill as nawaz really is incapable of creating a situation

I still don't think Nawaz is coming. Every thing seems like an over Kill.

Do you guys think that they will pull the plug of ventilator before Friday?

 

[Shane]

Unfortunately I am experiencing the same with my immediate family! Doctors and Post Doctorates inclusive are still Pro Nawaz! They all believe Army is behind everything.

I've given up tbh.

I'm the odd one, the only one!

Congratulations on being The One . There is no doubt that Military dictators and officers of weak character and upbringing are also responsible just as much as their civilian counterparts for our predicament or else we would be far better off than we are right-now but Military alone is not responsible for our dilemma.

The thing that make an individual standout among the hordes of others is an eye that not just has the ability to look beyond the smoke screen but assess the cold, hard reality while understanding what needs to be done about it. Not everyone has that God gifted ability, not even Imran Khan, close but no cigar. Please do share if you know of such a person that can lead this nation out of its troubles besides Imran Khan in our current scenario. Why him? you know that i am not addressing you but the like of Champoos and Tammo Ranis who keep defending the same old tried and tested corrupt failures since so many decades.

The nations that have progressed in the world, try to find such a person but give the leadership to the next best thing and give him 4 to 8 years to do the needful and move on. We unfortunately, aren't even capable of looking beyond a Sharif or a Zardari in disguise of a Bhutto. That's the cold hard reality of the majority of our horde to date.

 

[django]

Right to appeal will be lost if he does not

Haha i just love mah Isloo
View attachment 485433
@django

The way he is being hounded in UK I suspect he and his kin will all want to return, not that I condone this kind of behavior.Kudos bhai...My vid is not being uploaded for some reason

 

[BHarwana]

PTI google add showing on my PDF.

 

[PakSword]

Lets take a look at what the book says about Nawaz Sharif (from page 82 onwards):

Nawaz Sharif...

During the 1980s and early 1990s, given Sharif ’s political control of
Punjab and eventual prime ministership of the country, Ittefaq Industries
grew from its original single foundry into 30 businesses producing steel,
sugar, paper, and textiles, with combined revenues of $400 million, making
it one of the biggest private conglomerates in the nation.

With Lahore, the capital of Punjab, serving as the seat of the family’s
power, one of the first things Sharif did upon becoming prime minister in
1990 was build his long-dreamed-of superhighway from there to the capital,
Islamabad. Estimated to cost 8.5 billion rupees, the project went through
two biddings. Daewoo of Korea, strengthening its proposals with midnight
meetings, was the highest bidder both times, so obviously it won the contract
and delivered the job at well over 20 billion rupees.

Sharif authorized importation of 50,000 vehicles duty free, reportedly costing the government $700 million in lost customs duties. Banks were forced to make loans for vehicle purchases to
would-be taxi cab drivers upon receipt of a 10 percent deposit. Borrowers got
their “Nawaz Sharif cabs,” and some 60 percent of them promptly defaulted.
This left the banks with $500 million or so in unpaid loans.

Under Sharif, unpaid bank loans and massive tax evasion remained the
favorite ways to get rich. Upon his loss of power the usurping government
published a list of 322 of the largest loan defaulters, representing almost $3
billion out of $4 billion owed to banks.

Sharif and his family were tagged for $60 million. The Ittefaq Group went bankrupt in 1993 when Sharif lost his premiership the first time. By then only three units in the group were operational, and loan defaults of the remaining companies totaled some 5.7 billion
rupees, more than $100 million.

Like Bhutto, offshore companies have been linked to Sharif, three in the
British Virgin Islands by the names of Nescoll, Nielson, and Shamrock68 and
another in the Channel Islands known as Chandron Jersey Pvt. Ltd.69 Some
of these entities allegedly were used to facilitate purchase of four rather
grand flats on Park Lane in London, at various times occupied by Sharif
family members. Reportedly, payment transfers were made to Banque
Paribas en Suisse, which then instructed Sharif ’s offshore companies Nescoll
and Nielson to purchase the four luxury suites.

...

The records, including government documents, signed affidavits from
Pakistani officials, bank files and property records, detail the benefited Mr. Sharif, his family and his political associates:

• At least $160 million pocketed from a contract to build a highway
from Lahore, his home town, to Islamabad, the nation’s capital.
• At least $140 million in unsecured loans from Pakistan’s state banks.
• More than $60 million generated from government rebates on
sugar exported by mills controlled by Mr. Sharif and his business
associates.
• At least $58 million skimmed from inflated prices paid for imported
wheat from the United States and Canada. In the wheat
deal, Mr. Sharif ’s government paid prices far above market value
to a private company owned by a close associate of his in Washington,
the records show. Falsely inflated invoices for the wheat generated
tens of millions of dollars in cash.

================================================================



The book excerpt above is just a glimpse of Nawaz Shairfs Corruption from the 80s and 90s and doesn't even encompass the rule in Punjab and Center since.

We now have Panama leaks that has disclosed some of their properties and bank accounts but a lot more still stands hidden from the law as was disclosed by DailyMail in its piece on just the London properties.

Imagine the loot and plunder worth tens of Billions of Rupees in just the 56 Companies scandal by Shahbaz. Then there is Sasti Roti Project loot, LAPTOP Scandal, Apna Rozgar Transport Scheme Scam, NandiPur Power Scam, QuaideAzam Solar Project embezzlement, Port Qasim Coal Power Scam, 200 Billion Rupees spent on Orange Line Train, 70 million Dollars donated by Mrs Obama for Education that was devoured by Maryam Nawaz without audit, LNG import rate Scam, LNG Terminal Scam, PIA Premium Service Scam etc etc etc are just the tip of the mountain of corruption that has almost drowned Pakistan in twice as much Foreign Debt than in the entire history of the Nation and has dwindled the foreign reserves of the country down to a paltry level.


LOL, the entire book is 438 pages and I skimmed them and only managed to read the few pages on Pakistan so compared to that, my post is just a few related paragraphs.

Read this book in front of a patwari and he will say.. I know Mian saab is corrupt, I know that he has been rightly disqualified and punished by the courts.. but my vote is for Mian Saab..

 

[Solomon2]

Trial and error in Avenfield
By Hassan Niazi
Published: July 10, 2018

The writer is a lawyer based in Lahore and also teaches at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. He holds an LLM from New York University where he was a Hauser Global Scholar. He tweets @HNiaziii. The views expressed here are his own

To believe in the rule of law is to believe that the law is above all things. It is above our feelings of the guilt or innocence of a person, it is above our passionate need for accountability, and it is sometimes even above our thirst for justice. This is why our constitution guarantees a right to a fair trial for everyone. For if it did not, vigilantism would roam free and many innocent people would suffer the consequences. So, while we may strongly believe that Nawaz Sharif is guilty, we must demand that the judgment convicting him abide by the highest standards of fairness and objectivity. Unfortunately, the judgment of the accountability court fails to do so.

Before explaining what is so bad about the judgment let’s just get one major point out of the way: Nawaz Sharif was not found guilty of corruption via dishonest means under section 9 (a) (iv) of the Ordinance. There was no evidence presented to convict him under this section, and the accountability court had no choice but to acquit him of this charge. The importance of this lies in the fact that this was the section that his political opponents swore he would be guilty of. Well, he isn’t. Nawaz Sharif has not been found guilty of what we may call ‘direct corruption’. It took an indirect route, plagued with assumptions and paradoxes, for the accountability court to find him guilty of something at all.

Nawaz Sharif was found guilty under section 9 (a) (v) which goes something like this: If you own an asset which is disproportionate to your means of income, then, it is presumed you are corrupt unless you can show the contrary through a money trail. Section 9 (a) (v) flips the presumption of innocence — a hallmark of the right to a fair trial — and presumes you are guilty. You, the accused, must show you are innocent. It is an absurd provision that violates the very concept of a fair trial. But even with this easy route towards conviction, the judgment falls on its face numerous times. You see, in order to trigger section 9 (a) (v) the prosecution has to prove that a public office holder owned an asset or property which was disproportionate to his means of income. Therefore, the prosecution still had to prove that Nawaz Sharif owned the Avenfield apartments. They couldn’t. The judgment itself admits this. How the judgment still manages to get to this conclusion is a tale of presumptions and gems of logic such as one sentence that says that since Nawaz’s children were young at the time the apartments were purchased, he, being the caring father, must have bought it for them. This conclusion was drawn not from hard evidence but from some rather vague and non-understandable concept of ‘fatherhood’.

Based on this sound logic, the burden to prove the money trail for the apartments fell on Nawaz. He could not show it and was found guilty under section 9 (a) (v). Why didn’t he show the money trail? Simply because his entire case was that ‘he didn’t own the apartments in the first place’. How can he bring forward evidence to show the money trail for something that he categorically states he does not own? It is a paradox, it is absurd, it makes no sense.

If we have laws like section 9 (a) (v) on our books, what is the point of having the right to a fair trial in the constitution? Is it merely to decorate it? ‘But we need it!’ may come a voice from the mob, ‘it is already so difficult to prove corruption.’ Well of course it is difficult to prove corruption, but that doesn’t mean we start lowering our standards to those of a roving lynch mob. The law shouldn’t care if everyone knows Nawaz Sharif is corrupt if you can’t prove it beyond reasonable doubt. Evidentiary burdens aren’t there to allow sneaky lawyers to get a guilty client acquitted, they are there so that we can convict an accused on the basis of sound objective facts rather than our own subjective prejudices.

This verdict must be overturned. Therefore, it is important for Nawaz Sharif to return and file an appeal. An appeal in which he should have a strong chance of success. Meanwhile, all political parties should consider whether they should be rejoicing this decision. If these are our standards to prove corruption, then they may find the same noose around their neck very soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2018.

 

[PakSword]

Trial and error in Avenfield
By Hassan Niazi
Published: July 10, 2018

The writer is a lawyer based in Lahore and also teaches at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. He holds an LLM from New York University where he was a Hauser Global Scholar. He tweets @HNiaziii. The views expressed here are his own

To believe in the rule of law is to believe that the law is above all things. It is above our feelings of the guilt or innocence of a person, it is above our passionate need for accountability, and it is sometimes even above our thirst for justice. This is why our constitution guarantees a right to a fair trial for everyone. For if it did not, vigilantism would roam free and many innocent people would suffer the consequences. So, while we may strongly believe that Nawaz Sharif is guilty, we must demand that the judgment convicting him abide by the highest standards of fairness and objectivity. Unfortunately, the judgment of the accountability court fails to do so.

Before explaining what is so bad about the judgment let’s just get one major point out of the way: Nawaz Sharif was not found guilty of corruption via dishonest means under section 9 (a) (iv) of the Ordinance. There was no evidence presented to convict him under this section, and the accountability court had no choice but to acquit him of this charge. The importance of this lies in the fact that this was the section that his political opponents swore he would be guilty of. Well, he isn’t. Nawaz Sharif has not been found guilty of what we may call ‘direct corruption’. It took an indirect route, plagued with assumptions and paradoxes, for the accountability court to find him guilty of something at all.

Nawaz Sharif was found guilty under section 9 (a) (v) which goes something like this: If you own an asset which is disproportionate to your means of income, then, it is presumed you are corrupt unless you can show the contrary through a money trail. Section 9 (a) (v) flips the presumption of innocence — a hallmark of the right to a fair trial — and presumes you are guilty. You, the accused, must show you are innocent. It is an absurd provision that violates the very concept of a fair trial. But even with this easy route towards conviction, the judgment falls on its face numerous times. You see, in order to trigger section 9 (a) (v) the prosecution has to prove that a public office holder owned an asset or property which was disproportionate to his means of income. Therefore, the prosecution still had to prove that Nawaz Sharif owned the Avenfield apartments. They couldn’t. The judgment itself admits this. How the judgment still manages to get to this conclusion is a tale of presumptions and gems of logic such as one sentence that says that since Nawaz’s children were young at the time the apartments were purchased, he, being the caring father, must have bought it for them. This conclusion was drawn not from hard evidence but from some rather vague and non-understandable concept of ‘fatherhood’.

Based on this sound logic, the burden to prove the money trail for the apartments fell on Nawaz. He could not show it and was found guilty under section 9 (a) (v). Why didn’t he show the money trail? Simply because his entire case was that ‘he didn’t own the apartments in the first place’. How can he bring forward evidence to show the money trail for something that he categorically states he does not own? It is a paradox, it is absurd, it makes no sense.

If we have laws like section 9 (a) (v) on our books, what is the point of having the right to a fair trial in the constitution? Is it merely to decorate it? ‘But we need it!’ may come a voice from the mob, ‘it is already so difficult to prove corruption.’ Well of course it is difficult to prove corruption, but that doesn’t mean we start lowering our standards to those of a roving lynch mob. The law shouldn’t care if everyone knows Nawaz Sharif is corrupt if you can’t prove it beyond reasonable doubt. Evidentiary burdens aren’t there to allow sneaky lawyers to get a guilty client acquitted, they are there so that we can convict an accused on the basis of sound objective facts rather than our own subjective prejudices.

This verdict must be overturned. Therefore, it is important for Nawaz Sharif to return and file an appeal. An appeal in which he should have a strong chance of success. Meanwhile, all political parties should consider whether they should be rejoicing this decision. If these are our standards to prove corruption, then they may find the same noose around their neck very soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2018.

Lo gi main ne pehlay noothiya yahoodi dekh lia apni zindagi main.. yeh khuwahish bhi poori hogaee.

 

[Solomon2]

Lo gi main ne pehlay noothiya yahoodi dekh lia apni zindagi main.. yeh khuwahish bhi poori hogaee.

You're not disputing with the author; you're just spacing out.