No Swiss, British papers for NAB

ISLAMABAD: Governments of the United Kingdom and Switzerland have shown inability to acquire required documents about the Sharifs’ adventures, a move which could be a serious setback for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) efforts to collect ‘actionable evidence’ against the ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children in ongoing corruption cases.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and NAB through a dozen Letters of Requests (LoRs) sought sensitive information from the UK Central Authority (Int. Criminality Unit) and Federal Office of Justice, Intl. Legal Assistance Division of Switzerland about the Sharifs’ properties, wealth and bank accounts.

“Time bound procedural and legal complications have become a stumbling block in our way to collect conclusive evidences from both British and Swiss authorities. Both countries have expressed their inability to share the specific documents accordingly,” revealed a senior official of NAB who is dealing with the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA). When contacted, sources close to Nawaz Sharif said they (NAB) can’t dig out something which doesn’t exist at all.

Pakistani authorities under Article 46 of UN Convention against Corruption and Section 21 of NAB Ordinance 1999, collectively wrote around a dozen LoRs to UK Central Authority and Swiss Office of Justice, Int. Legal Assistance Division in past six months. An executive summary of Volume X, exclusively obtained by this correspondent, revealed that authorities on 6th June sought “particulars of account holders (recipients) of US$3, 462, 968 laundered from Pakistan through various fake accounts” and on 1st July sought details of “transfer of US$ 350, 000 from Sulman Zia’s account to an offshore company ‘M/s Shamrock Consulting Corporation’, (Acc. No 12135914), Lloyds Bank, Stock Market Branch, London in three transactions between Jan 3, 1993 to Feb 1, 1993 from Swiss authorities. This amount of US$350, 000 was reportedly further transferred by Shamrock Consulting Corporation to the account of Mr Hans Rudolf Wegmuller in Zurich at Banque Paribas en Sulve. Mr Hans Rudlf egmuller was Director of Banque Paribas en Suisse as well as of M/s Ansbacher (Schweiz) AG, which was reportedly administering offshore companies of the Sharif family. Reportedly, Mr Wegmuller was a director of Banque Paribas on Suisse as well.”

These transactions were made through “US$150, 019 vide TXN:118817 from Bank Al-Habib AG Zurich on 1st Jan 1993 by order of UBS Zurich, US$95, 000 vide TXT:119707 from Bank Al-Habib AG Zurich on Jan 27, 1993 in by order of UBS Zurich, US$80, 000 vide TXN: 125747 from Bank Al-Habib AG Zurich on June 21, 1993 (repeated on July 21, 1993 vide TXN: 127192) by order of UBS Zurich,” revealed Volume X.

Panama JIT on May 27, 2017 sought particulars of real beneficial owners, record of Tax, utility bills and ground rent etc. of Mayfair properties from UK Central Authority (Intl Criminality Unit) Home office, London. JIT again on June 6, 2017 sought all orders and the judgment of high court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division London in case No 1998-A991 (Al-Towfeek Company for Investment Funds London Vs. Hudaibiya Paper Mills Ltd), Documents pertaining to out of the court settlement between the parties, proof showing mode of satisfaction of loan and identity of the person who returned the loan.

On June 27, 2017, Foreign Office of Pakistan on request of JIT sought record relating to remittances of US$350, 000 from Acc. No. 12135914, Lloyds Bank, Stock Market Branch, London of ‘M/s Shamrck Consulting Corporation’ to Mr Hans Rudolf Wegmuller (as detailed above), confirmation of address of Shamrock Consulting in Bank’s file for Ac. No.12135914, Lloyds Bank as ‘C/o Ansbacher Switzerland” was also requested. Volume X further revealed that Panama JIT on June 27, 2017 also sought record links to loan obtained by CGI, Neilson and Nescoll by pledging Mayfair Properties (16-16-A) and financial interests of Sharifs’ family in these companies according to the record of Deutsche Bank AG London, United Bank of Switzerland in UK, Halifax Bank, Sasto and Linger (Solicitor) and Freemans (Solicitors).

Panama JIT also sought details about Avenfield properties i.e. “16 Avenfield House 117-128 Park Lane London WIK WIK 7AF (title number NGL338285) and 16A Avenfield House 117-128 Park Lane London WIK 7AF (title Number NGL351181).” JIT members informed the UK government that the available information shows that M/s Nielsen, CGI and Nescoll Limited availed loan facility from Deutche Bank (Suisse) SA by pledging to the bank following properties (Mayfair Properties) on September 2008. The pledge agreement was signed in London on behalf of CGI by Mr Hussain Sharif and Mrs Mariam Safdar. Available details including statements made by Hussain Sharif and Hasan Sharif have been incorporated in Section F of the enclosed LoR written to UK authorities.

Pakistan also sought details of ultimate beneficiary owners of M/s Shamrock Consulting Corporation and Ansbarcher (Schewiz) AG, bank accounts opened/operated in the name of these entities and the services rendered by Mr. Urs Pecker to Sharif family in relation to incorporation and management of both companies from Swiss authorities. M/s Shamrock Consulting Corporation and Anshbacher (Schewiz) AG incorporated, administered and/or managed by Mr. Urs Specker reportedly operated bank accounts for the ultimate benefits or Sharif family).” Pakistani authorities further informed UK authorities that one of these fake accounts (202120-1065661) was opened in Habib Bank AG Zurich, Lahore on August 26, 1992 in name of Sulman Zia. Despite several attempts made by this correspondent on Tuesday, NAB’s authorities have to yet respond The News’ queries till filing of this report.