Avenfield case: Accountability court summons Wajid Zia on Feb 22

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad has summoned Federal Investigation Agency’s Additional Director and head of joint investigation team (JIT) which probed the Sharif family, Wajid Zia, on February 22.

The court has summoned Zia, along with the original record of the probe carried out into the Sharif family’s wealth in the London-based Avenfield properties case.

Judge Muhammad Bashir issued directives for Zia to show up on the request of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor who pleaded for his appearance while stating that presence of original record is compulsory for recording statements of two witnesses via video link.

The judge also directed former premier Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (r) Muhammad Safdar to ensure their presence during the hearing.

Meanwhile, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Muzaffar Abbasi has left for London on an official visit.

According to NAB officials, he will go to London High Commission on February 22.

The statements of Robert Radley and Raja Akhtar, the two prosecution witnesses, will be recorded through a video link in his presence.

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.