Hussain Nawaz seeks panel to probe Rose, Broadsheet scandal

LONDON: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s eldest son Hussain Nawaz Sharif has demanded an independent commission to investigate the allegations of bribery and commissions in the Broadsheet LLC and David Rose scandal.

Kaveh Moussavi of Broadsheet had alleged that David Rose, a freelance reporter for On Friday, Hussain Nawaz issued a detailed video statement declaring that the fact Broadsheet had paid £20,000 to the Sharif family was a vindication as not only Broadsheet failed in its action against the Sharif family’s four Avenfield flats but also Shahzad Akbar, who he claimed he will become a witness in the Avenfield flats case but didn’t appear before the court.

“The issue regarding Broadsheet and David Rose has become very dirty and I would like an independent commission to investigate the issue so that it becomes clear who played a negative role. This commission should not be the Whatsapp JIT type commission,” Nawaz said. He also confirmed the Sharif Family’s lawyers had received almost around 5 million rupees in legal costs from Broadsheet LLC after withdrawing the attachment application at the London High Court. Nawaz said Broadsheet literally ran away from fighting the case. He said Broadsheet had told the court that four Avenfield flats belonged to Pakistan but was advised by its lawyers that it will lose the case if there was a trial. He rejected the argument by Broadsheet that it withdrew the application because it received $27 million from Pakistan. Hussain said the Broadsheet is still in the court chasing $3 million from Pakistan and could have gone ahead fighting the possession of Park Lane flats but dropped the case after being told by lawyers that it would lose out big.

Hussain Nawaz said: “We could have claimed more money (from Broadsheet), but because Broadsheet is now bankrupt, and that case is in the Isle of Man, our lawyers have advised for settling the case instead of pursuing it there.” He explained that in legal matters in UK courts, the losing party pays costs, and that (Broadsheet) had withdrawn their case and paid up. He said that PM Imran Khan’s advisor on accountability Shahzad Akbar has twisted facts. “Why didn’t Akbar tell the UK courts that the money (for Broadsheet) should be taken from the Sharif family properties (Avenfield apartments), since he claimed they belonged to the government of Pakistan? Akbar had promised that he will get possession of the Park Lane flats so where is he now? The truth is that they only have allegations but nothing to substantiate them,” Hussain added. He claimed that whenever the PTI government’s allegations are brought to an independent judicial forum, they will be exposed since they have no evidence. “If the Government of Pakistan and Broadsheet were true in their claims against the Sharif Family, they could’ve attached the Avenfield flats but they could not do that because their entire case is fake.”