ISLAMABAD: Appearing in Al Azizia reference, former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Friday told the Accountability Court-II judge that it was his legal right to take money from his son and gift it to his daughter. The former prime minister furnished 30 more replies to the JIT’s questions.
Judge Arshad Malik resumed hearing of the case. Nawaz has so far submitted replies to 120 out of 151 questions to the court. Answering a question, Nawaz said he was not part of any transactions related to the sale of Al-Azizia steel mills. “I never claimed owing Al-Azizia mills; I always said I had nothing to do with the mill.”
Answering a question about the money he’d received from abroad, Nawaz said all of his money was documented in his tax returns and that he was free to spend it as he wished. Answering another question about Qatari Prince Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani’s letters, Nawaz said he had never personally reliedon those letters in front of Supreme Court. He insisted that it did not at all seem from the letters that the Qatari royal family was not willing to cooperate with the JIT probing the case.
“Qatari prince Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani had asked the JIT to send him a questionnaire but the team imposed strict conditions,” he added. Nawaz said the statements of his sons, Hasan and Hussain, submitted to the JIT were not recorded in his presence. “They were not presented before this court, nor are they being tried with him”.
Answering a question about the interview of his son, the former premier said any statements associated with his sons could not be presented as evidence against him. “Their interviews can’t be presented as evidence. During investigation, no one’s statements serve as acceptable evidence,” he added.
Nawaz reiterated that Al-Azizia Steel Mill had been established by his father Mian Sharif, while his son Hussain Nawaz used to take care of its affairs. The court adjourned the hearing till Monday.