Al-Azizia reference: Court orders prosecution to record Nawaz’s statement in next hearing

ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court-II Tuesday directed the prosecution to record the statement of former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the next hearing in Al-Azizia corruption reference.

Concluding arguments, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Wasiq Malik told Judge Arshad Malik that they had acquired all the evidence concerning the reference. He informed the judge that as many as 22 witnesses’ statements had been recorded in Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment reference against Nawaz.

He also submitted copies of the Supreme Court verdicts announced on April-20 and July-28. Nawaz’s defense counsel Khawaja Haris objected to the prosecutor’s remarks and said April 20 verdict was not related to Al-Azizia reference.

He argued that an older verdict was no longer relevant after another verdict was announced by the apex court. The court also heard the Flagship Investment reference against Nawaz in which Khawaja Haris continued cross-examination of JIT head Wajid Zia. The accountability court adjourned the hearing till Wednesday (today).