Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today appeared before a Supreme Court-appointed team probing the Panamagate graft case, becoming Pakistan's first sitting premier to depose before such a panel.

A seemingly-relaxed Sharif arrived at the Judicial Academy - which has been temporarily turned into the Joint Investigation Team secretariat - amid tight security.

According to official sources, more than 2,500 security personnel have been deployed. The 67-year-old PML-N leader, who was accompanied by his eldest son Hussain Nawaz, brother Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar, waved at party workers and responded to their chants before entering the building.

A large number of PML-N supporters had assembled near the JIT secretariat, waiving their party flags and chanting pro- Nawaz slogans. "The day that creates history & sets a much required & welcome precedent for others to emulate," Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz tweeted along with pictures of the PML-N leader and his top aides just before leaving for the JIT.

Dawn reported that the prime minister will face the 6- member JIT panel alone. It was not known for how long the JIT will question him. The JIT chief Wajid Zia had summoned the prime minister to appear before the probe team on June 15 with all documents relevant to the case.