ISLAMABAD: The investigation officer (IO) in the Avenfield Apartments corruption reference admitted before the accountability court judge on Friday that none of the witnesses cited in the references had made any statement that Nawaz Sharif was the ‘Benami’ owner of apartments.
“No witness stated that Hussain Nawaz is the Benamidar for Nawaz Sharif holding Avenfield properties. Neither any witness stated that Nawaz Sharif provided money for purchase of London flats nor was there any documentary evidence in the form of banking transaction to show that Nawaz Sharif paid money for purchase of Avenfield apartments.
“There is also no such receipt to show acknowledgment of payment for the purchase of flats by or on behalf of Nawaz Sharif. Further, there is no evidence to show that Nawaz Sharif ever issued instructions for the management of Nielsen and Nescoll or to the service providing companies,” IO Imran Dogar admitted.
Nawaz Sharif’s Legal counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmad advocate completed his cross-examination of Dogar. On Monday legal counsel for Maryam Nawaz and Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar, Amjad Pervez advocate will start his cross-examination.
AC judge Muhammad Bashir suggested Pervez to also complete his cross-examination the same day but he took the plea that it was not possible for him, as last night he could not sleep after there was a fire at the Serena hotel where he had been staying.
The hotel management asked 300 guests to come out in the lobby and after two-hour firefighting, the guests were allowed in. “Spending a sleepless night, I cannot argue right now but I would continue on Monday. At the start of proceedings, IO Dogar admitted that the proper procedure was not adopted before filing the references.
“When a complaint arrives at NAB, it is scrutinized at first and then we proceed further. For preparing and filing of this reference, I took no additional material from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the NAB and relied on the material collected by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from the FIA and NAB,” he said.
Nawaz Sharif counsel Khawaja Haris posed asked Dogar if he knew that the call-up notices he’d issued to the accused were displayed on the TV screens. The IO said he had no knowledge of it. Dogar was also questioned about a document pertaining to the family settlement that was prepared by Mian Muhammad Sharif and attached to the JIT report volume IV.
In the documents there were signatures of the family members but 10 spaces were empty. Haris asked Dogar if he ever tried to know that who those 10 persons were. The IO replied in the negative.
A chart of analysis of assets also came under discussion that was minutely scripted and not legible. The IO said he did not know who prepared this chart and when, as he never remained associated with the JIT investigations.
He also admitted that the JIT had hired the services of experts from different other departments but he did not know them and their offices. Khawaja Haris asked if an IO was not authorised to prepare and file a reference under the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).
At this, the NAB deputy prosecutor general (DPG) immediately intervened and said it was a question of law that could not be asked from the IO. At this Khawaja Haris and Amjad Pervez advocates said that while preparing the reference the IO had mentioned many laws and sections of the NAO and asked how he could not answer a question about the law. The IO however did not reply the question and said it was a question of law. Further hearing will be on Monday.
