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Thursday March 28, 2024

Verdict in Avenfield case reserved

By Faisal Kamal Pasha
July 04, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court hearing the Avenfield reference against the Sharif family on Tuesday reserved its verdict in the case, which will be announced on Friday, July 6. Nawaz Sharif and his family are facing three corruption cases in the accountability court after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed references against them in the light of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case last year. The accountability court resumed hearing the case on Tuesday, where Maryam Nawaz and Captain (R) Safdar's counsel Amjad Pervez presented his final arguments.

Three among the five accused stood trial in this matter, while two accused, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz, have already been declared proclaimed offenders by the court.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Sirajul Haq and other politicians had filed petitions before the Supreme Court of Pakistan that on July 28 disqualified Mian Nawaz Sharif to hold the public office and had also referred this matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for filing of three corruption references against Nawaz and his children for assets beyond known sources of income.

Two other corruption references including Al-Azizia Steel Mill/Hill Metal Establishment and Flagship corruption reference are also near completion.

In Al-Azizia reference, counsel for Nawaz is doing cross-examination on the joint investigation team (JIT) head Wajid Zia and then the NAB investigation officer will record his statement and be cross-examined. In Flagship, Wajid Zia and the IO have to record their statements followed by cross-examination and final arguments. The two cases can take some time, while the accountability court is going to decide this matter on July 6 prior to the July 9 deadline set by the apex court.

Previously AC had decided to simultaneously render judgments in the three corruption reference but then it said in its order that since the defence has produced no witnesses, hence the judgments will be rendered separately.

Amjad Pervez said during Tuesday’s hearing that the investigation was conducted with a pre-conceived mindset and malice is evident everywhere in the JIT report. He said documents pertaining to Financial Investigation Agency of the British Virgin Islands (FIA-BVI) are uncertified and also the Mossack Fonseca’s letters of 2012 through which the prosecution has been trying to establish that Maryam Nawaz is the beneficial owner of the London properties.

After Amjad Pervez concluded his final arguments, the accountability court Judge Muhammad Bashir reserved judgment in the matter.

Meanwhile Khawaja Haris cross-examining Wajid Zia in the context of his statement in Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment Corruption reference inquired him about that whether the JIT verified the Arabic translations of the copies of professional licence and land rent agreement related to Gulf Steel Mills (GSM)? Zia replied in negative and said that the JIT did not write any MLA in this regard and the two JIT members who travelled to Dubai also did not verify the said documents. Zia said that the JIT also did not contact the translator Ahmed Badran of Atlis Legal Translations. Zia said that the JIT also not verified the professional licence from Dubai’s Municipality through an MLA.

Haris then posed a question that why the translated documents of the land rent agreement of GSM are on a single page in volume III of the JIT report rather than a complete set. Zia replied that it is an inadvertent mistake.

A NAB prosecutor Wasiq Malik objected that the defence counsel asking the questions about the documents that were not exhibited as evidence. He requested AC Judge to stop the defence counsel from asking questions about these documents.

At this AC judge expressed displeasure and said that the prosecution attached these documents and there could be a debate over these.

Haris then asked Zia that if any of the witness summoned by the JIT including Tariq Shafi, Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz had asked for a questionnaire in advance prior to appearing before the JIT? Zia said that he needs to consult the record. The court then adjourned in this matter till today (Wednesday).