Live from Courtroom **1
 

Pensive looking PTI’s top leadership also expressed their frustration in the Courtroom ** 1. Even, one of top leaders of PTI whispered into Sheikh Rasheed's ears, “burden of proof is on the defendants who must have produced documents before the court.”

It was fifth consecutive day when Mr Bokhari was presenting his arguments before the five-member bench which is hearing this historic case. The sunny but extremely cold morning whispered into ears of hundreds of people perhaps that the PanamaLeaks case is **t going anywhere, at least, this week.

Hundreds of journalists, retired bureaucrats, police ******rs, diplomats, politicians and legislators were thinking that the respondents’ counsels would be concluding their arguments on Tuesday. But it did **t happen as Mr Bokhari will resume his arguments today (Wednesday).

But it is a fact that the respondents are also going to face tough time in the courtroom today or tomorrow. Their counsels would have to answer around one hundred striking questions either posed by the learned judges or by the petitioners in their 15-hour long arguments in this case.

Many were asking if Sharif family would submit the required documents before the apex court on this issue. But ** one knew it. Yes, only the respondents’ counsels have had answer of this question. But they looked serious, tight lipped and focused on taking **tes of proceedings. With bundle of files as well as the plethora of documents they were ready to argue in support of their clients. But they are always kind to Naeem Bokhari who exchanged lighter **tes with everyone in the court.

This correspondent also witnessed good writing practices by the two left-handers -- State Minister for Information Tech**logy Anusha Rahman and Salman Akram Raja, Counsel for Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz. Both always kept taking **tes of proceedings while sitting on beautiful chairs installed in front rows in the large hall twinkled with beautiful lights.

Young barrister Ayesha Hamid was taking **tes of hearings for her father, Shahid Hamid, who is representing Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. Shahid Hamid and Makhdoom Ali Khan, counsel for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, were found discussing their future strategy during the tea break.

Well-mannered and serious looking Makhdoom Ali Khan always looked busy with his young team carrying bags of larger size in the courtroom. But the respondents’ counsels never shared their future strategy, how to argue their case in particular. They remained tight lipped and this correspondent witnessed media teams of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chalking strategies, “How to address the media about the day’s proceedings.”

Fawad Chaudhry and Naeemul Haq of PTI chalked media strategy while sitting next to Imran Khan and Jehangir Tareen. MNAs Dr Shireen Mazari and Shah Mehmood Qureshi left the courtroom early on Tuesday as both were going to attend meetings at the Parliament House. Imran Khan also shared his heart with the journalists and lawyers during the tea break. But it was an off-the-record discussion on this case. PTI's tigress also attended these proceedings as she usually occupied seats for their leadership. Good looking Ishaq Khan Khakwani of PTI was witnessing the proceedings silently when MNA Dr Munaza Hassan was chewing bubbles. She was sitting between former deputy inspector general Raza Khan and Dr Mazari. Imran Khan called Raza Khan ‘lala bhai’ whenever he met him.

Prime Minister's Special Adviser on Law and Justice and Anusha Rahman were sitting together, perhaps discussing developments on the PanamaLeaks case. MNA Daniyal Aziz always looked in happy mood in the court where Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali remained alert, just to assist the court. Mr Ausaf has always been helpful to both parties in the Courtroom ** 1. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, who is heading this bench, looked happy and always kept engaged to the arguers for developing better understanding into this case.

Justice Azmat Saeed called a spade a spade that they would be more than happy to facilitate both the parties but they should come up with documentary proof to plead case of their clients. This correspondent witnessed two gentlemen of special branch who were snuffing. They were deputed in the courtroom where a couple of ushers were found napping around 11:00am. Then controversial role of Senator Rehman Malik in a money laundering case against Sharif brothers came under discussion over there. The apex court questioned why Mr Malik did **t investigate this case when he was holding ****** of interior minister of Pakistan. When Naeem Bokhari was struggling to plead his case, it was only Jehangir Tareen who facilitated his legal team for better presentation on the dice.

Imran Khan did **t stand next to his legal team all the time since Monday as he did last week. It was Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan who posed maximum questions to Mr Bokhari who struggled to answer them but in vain. Justice Gulzar Ahmed is the only judge who remained silent most of the time during the course of proceedings. He rarely asked any questions over there. The learned judges also shared lighter moments with the observers in the courtroom which also witnessed many young lawyers who came to cover this case as part of their internships. The court will continue to hear PanamaLeaks case in Courtroom ** 2 today (Wednesday). Naeem Bokhari will most likely conclude his arguments.



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