Will Microsoft's Calibri font send Pakistan's first family to prison?

Microsoft's default font, Calibri, is currently at the centre of a hot legal and political debate in Pakistan and it could very well end up sealing the fate of the country's first family. The font is playing a pivotal role as investigators continue to ask questions to the family members of embattled Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over their illegal offshore properties flagged in the Panama Papers.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which was appointed to find out whether the Sharif family has carried out any illegal transaction while handling their offshore money, has found out that the ruling family submitted fake documents in their attempt to substantiate their innocence.

Investigators say the documents, supposed to have been made in 2006, were in Calibri font. However, Microsoft did not release Calibri to the public until 2007.

Thus the JIT has declared some of the key documents presented by the Sharif family as forged. The JIT sent the documents to a British forensic firm which uncovered the blunder.

The documents in question were submitted by Sharif's daughter and heir apparent, Maryam Nawaz, to prove that the family are not guilty. The alleged original copies contained certified transactions between Sharif's firms and other offshore accounts.

Some social media users have pointed out that Calibri was introduced in 2004, but it was not available for commercial users.

The Panama Papers revealed the financial operations carried out by the world's rich and famous through shell companies. The leak had also shed light on the monetary dealings of Sharif's children as well.

Three of Sharif's four children – Maryam Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz – are involved in numerous businesses having properties abroad.

Twitter users in Pakistan were abuzz over the latest findings and allegations with as many shared their views on the social media platform.