Panama JIT head submits report, records statement in Ishaq Dar graft case

• Wajid Zia tells NAB court that Dar had failed to satisfy JIT over massive increase in his wealth

ISLAMABAD: Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director Wajid Zia on Monday recorded his testimony before the National Accountability Court (NAB) court and submitted volume I and IX of the joint investigation team’s (JIT) report in the graft case against former finance minister Senator Ishaq Dar.

At the outset of the hearing, AC judge Justice Mohammad Bashir inquired the whereabouts of the JIT head–a prime witness of prosecution–, upon which the court was reportedly informed that the witness was in the Supreme Court to get the report and he will be in the court shortly.

The hearing was adjourned till 11:30 am as the court directed Zia and Investigation Officer Nadir Abbas to appear before it.

The court resumed the hearing after Zia arrived. He informed the court that the FIA forwarded his name for inclusion in the JIT, adding that on May 5 the Supreme Court had ordered the formation of the JIT under him. He also assured the bench that the JIT reports bear his signature.

He said that ex-minister Ishaq Dar failed to prove the enormous growth in his assets before the JIT, adding that his assets showed a “91 per cent increase” in just 17 years.

“According to Dar’s wealth statement in 1991, his assets were at Rs9.1 million whereas that the same were Rs831.6 million in his 2008-09 statement, signifying an increase of about Rs822.5 million,” the JIT chief told the court.

The court adjourned the hearing till February 14 after recording the testimony.

‘NAWAZ MIGHT LEAVE COUNTRY’:

The NAB prosecutor informed the court at the hearing’s star that there were reports of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, named in NAB’s three corruption reference, planning to travel abroad, reported Geo News.

Justice Bashir then observed that it would not be right if the accountability court’s proceedings are delayed as the Supreme Court and JIT completed their work on time during the Panama case’s hearing.

In the last hearing on February 8, Zia could not record his statement due to unavailability of the JIT report. As the hearing began, Zia had informed the court that the final report of the JIT was submitted to the SC.

Wajid Zia was the head of SC-mandated probe team which was formed to launch a probe into the assets of the Sharif family following the revelation of them having “assets beyond known income” in the Panama Papers.

On the basis of the report, Nawaz Sharif was sacked from the post of the PM in July 28 verdict of the apex court. The verdict had also directed the NAB to file the graft references against the Sharif family–Nawaz Sharif, Hasan and Hussain Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz and Maryam’s husband Muhammad Safdar, besides one against Ishaq Dar.

Ishaq Dar had been stripped of his title pf the minister for the time being after he fled the country last year owing to medical reason; he, however, had skipped the multiple hearings even before the “medical visit”.