ISLAMABAD: Legal counsel for the ousted prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, Khawaja Haris Ahamd advocate, while forwarding final arguments in Avenfield apartments corruption reference before the accountability court (AC) here on Friday, admissibility of the documents produced by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecution should be ascertained as this court has to see whether these documents have any connection whatsoever with his client Nawaz Sharif.
“Just for the sake of argument, if we do accept the admissibility of these documents and we don’t object whether or not these documents are attested and verified, this court has to examine if these documents establish a link between Nawaz Sharif and the Avenfield properties,” he said. Haris said that the prosecution failed to establish any connection of Nawaz Sharif with London apartments. The prosecution at the basis of which documents trying to establish Nawaz Sharif’s link with the Avenfield apartments does not establish the link at all. Haris said that the prosecution had to establish Nawaz Sharif’s link with the properties and then there was onus of proof on us.
Prosecution has been arguing that Nawaz Sharif received salary from Capital FZE. For the sake of argument, if we do accept, then what is the connection between FZE and the Avenfield apartments, Haris raised a question. Capital FZE is an issue pertaining to the year 2008 whereas the screen shots produced before this court are unverified.
Talking about the Nielsen & Nescoll and Coomber group trust deed, Haris said that Akhtar Raja of Quist Solicitor wrote a letter to the Jeremy Freeman for verification of the trust deed. Jeremy Freeman confirmed that he signed the trust deed in the presence of Hussain Nawaz. These trust deeds are between Hussain Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz. There is no third person in these trust deeds, Haris said. Given all this, Nawaz Sharif has neither any connection with the trust deed nor with the Avenfield apartments.
Haris said that he would separately argue that what Jeremy Freeman replied to Quist Solicitor. Haris said that today, he argued regarding 81 documents before this court. Some of these documents are related to Avenfield properties and one affidavit of Shezi Nackvi. Shezi Nackvi in his affidavit has said that Nawaz Sharif has no connection with loan settlement between Hudabiya paper mill and Al-Towfeek. This court has not made part of the proceedings, the draft order of Al-Towfeek case and the persons who had signed that order also not produced before this court.
Talking about the Gulf Steel Mill, Haris said that Nawaz Sharif has no connection with the establishment of Mill and in the affidavit of Tariq Shafi, he is mentioned nowhere. Haris pointed out that one page of Gulf Steel Mills share sales agreement of 1978 is missing. AC directed the prosecution to produce the missing page. Talking about the Qatari prince correspondence with the JIT, Haris said that there is no mention of Nawaz Sharif in that. Documents pertaining to Hudabiya paper mills have also no mention of Nawaz Sharif.
Haris said that he is feeling temperature and he don’t want to carry on with the arguments as he needs some rest. At this AC judge Muhammad Bashir said that legal counsel for Maryam Nawaz and Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar, Amjad Pervez advocate will argue in this matter on Saturday.
Amjad Pervez however said that he has commitments in Lahore and he cannot appear on Saturday. At this, the court put off in this matter till Monday.
