Court records testimonies in Avenfield reference against Nawaz

–Ousted PM’s lawyer cross examines NAB witness over Nawaz and Maryam’s bank transactions 

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court hearing corruption references against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his children on Monday completed recording of statements of witnesses brought forward by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Avenfield Flats case.

The former premier’s son-in-law, Capt (r) Muhammad Safdar, appeared before the court as the hearing into the Avenfield Flats reference ─ one of the three filed against members of the Sharif family, resumed.

Nawaz and his daughter Maryam were not present in the court as the two had left for London on Dec 5 after they were exempted from appearing before the court.

During the hearing, Nawaz’s lawyer cross-examined Malik Tayyab, a witness presented by the prosecution who in a previous hearing had provided details of cheques issued to Maryam and others from the former premier’s bank account.

Advocate Khawaja Harris asked the witness if he personally knew those to whom Sharif had allegedly issued cheques to. Tayyab responded that he did not, adding that he had presented his statement based on the records that were available with him. The lawyer requested that a copy of prosecution witness Afaq Ahmad’s testimony recorded before the Supreme Court-mandated Panama Papers joint investigation team be provided to him. In a written response to the request, NAB said that the statement has been recorded before the apex court and time will be needed to acquire it.

The statement of NAB’s Assistant Director Adeel Akhtar, another prosecution witness, was also recorded during the hearing.

The court has summoned prosecution witnesses Yasir Shabbir and Shakeel Anjum in the Al Azizia reference at the next hearing scheduled on Dec 19.

THE REFERENCES:

The NAB has in total filed three references against the Sharif family and another against the then-finance minister Ishaq Dar in the accountability court, in light of the Supreme Court’s orders in the Panama Papers case verdict of July 28.

The anti-graft body was given six weeks, from the date of the apex court’s order, to file the reference in an accountability court while the accountability court was granted six months to wrap up the proceedings.

The references against the Sharif family pertain to the Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Establishment, their London properties, and over dozen offshore companies owned by the family.
Maryam and Safdar are only nominated in the London properties reference. At an earlier hearing, the court also approved Maryam and Safdar’s bail in the Avenfield properties case and ordered them to submit surety bonds worth Rs5 million each.

Safdar was also directed to take the court’s permission before leaving the country from now on. The judge also provided a copy of the reference — spread over 53 volumes — to Maryam and Safdar.

NAB’s Rawalpindi branch prepared two references regarding the Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Establishment, and the nearly dozen companies owned by the Sharif family.

Its Lahore branch prepared a reference on the Sharif family’s Avenfield apartments in London and another against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for owning assets beyond his known sources of income.

If convicted, the accused may face up to 14 years imprisonment and lifelong disqualification from holding public office including the freezing of bank accounts and assets.