Avenfield reference: AC gives Sharifs last chance to record statements

ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court on Friday could not record the statements of former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar in Avenfield apartment’s corruption reference, as their counsel sought more time to prepare answers for the questions raised by the court.

The court handed the questionnaire over to the three accused on May 16 consisting of 127 questions. Nawaz appeared in the court along with Maryam and Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar.

Judge Muhammad Bashir adjourned the proceedings till May 21 with observation that it was the last chance for the accused to record their statements. With incomplete and ongoing cross-examination of Wajid Zia in Al Azizia corruption reference, the court has allowed contention of the prosecution side that the accused statements should be recorded first in the Avenfield reference.

As the court resumed hearing of the reference, Nawaz Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmad requested that the matter be deferred, as they were not prepared to answer the questions. He said there were some mistakes in the questions that needed to be corrected while a few questions could not be comprehended.

Objecting to the plea, the NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar said the defence just wanted to waste time and asked him to submit replies to whatever was understandable. The prosecutor said the court prepared the questionnaire on May 16 and they still did not submit reply.

Haris was pressing the court to record statements of the accused once Wajid Zia completed with his evidences in all the three corruption references. It is to mention here that every effort by the defense for a joint trial in the references has met failure since the filing of references.

Initially, they were trying to get the references clubbed but the accountability court and high court rejected the application. Later they tried for a joint statement of Wajid Zia in all the three corruption references which also failed.

After this, the defense requested the court to consecutively record statements of Wajid Zia in all the three corruption references and this application was also disapproved by the accountability court. Now the accused will record their statements on Monday in the light of questions handed over to them by the court.