Sharif family skips second NAB appearance

LAHORE: The Sharif Family did not appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ignoring second summon in a week to appear before the investigators.

The NAB has summoned Nawaz Sharif, Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz and Captain (retd) Safdar to appear before it on Sunday in connection with inquiry into the London properties.

The Supreme Court in its July 28 order had disqualified Nawaz Sharif as prime minister and directed the accountability bureau to file corruption cases against Nawaz Sharif, his daughter, sons, son-in-law, Ishaq Dar and others.

A six-member team headed by DG NAB Lahore, Saleem Shehzad waited till 02:00 pm but no one came. 

The accountability bureau on August 18 summoned former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons – Hussain Nawaz and Hasan Nawaz – to record their statements before filing references against them over Al-Azizia Steel Mills and the Hill Metal Establishment Company. Responding to summons, Sharif Family in a letter to the bureau linked their appearance to the decision of the apex court on a review petition filed by them earlier.

The six-week deadline of the SC to file these references would end on September 8.

Sources told The News that NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry has given a free hand to the combined investigation team to independently carry out investigations.

NAB had also received copies of Volume 10 of the JIT report from the SC and initiated the process of examining the confidential record.

The bureau will formulate its future line of action by Monday after examination the reply of lawyer of the Sharif family. However, sources told that the NAB would not seek appearance of Sharifs again and shall the references in the light of report of Joint Investigation Team submitted to SC on July 10.