Nawaz Sharif actual owner of London flats, court told

• NAB prosecutor claims Sharif family hid their ownership through offshore companies
• NAB court rejects Nawaz, Maryam’s plea for five-day exemption from trial
• Former premier challenges court’s verdict on NAB references in IHC

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Deputy Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi told the NAB court that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is the actual owner of the London flats.

As the court conducting corruption proceedings against the Sharif family resumed hearing, for the third consecutive day, the NAB deputy prosecutor’s concluding arguments in the Avenfield case, Abbasi said that there are no records to show that bearers’ shares were transferred from Prince Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani to Hussain Nawaz.

“Nawaz and his family hid their ownership through offshore companies,” he claimed.

Regardless, the Joint Investigation Team, which was formed to probe Nawaz’s assets following apex court verdict, tried to record the statement of the Qatari prince. The NAB prosecutor denied the allegations that the Qatari prince was threatened.

COURT RESTRICTS NAWAZ, MARYAM FROM TRAVELLING ABROAD:

During the proceedings, the court rejected ousted premier Nawaz Sharif and daughter Maryam Nawaz’s request for a five-day exemption from trial to visit ailing Kulsoom Nawaz in London.

Judge Bashir had earlier reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides. The Sharif family members had sought an exemption from June 11 to June 16, and the exemption petition submitted also had Kulsoom’s medical report attached.

The ousted premier’s son-in-law, Capt (r) Safdar also requested for an exemption.

With the deadline set to expire on June 9, Judge Bashir decided on Monday to seek another extension for the ongoing trial from the Supreme Court. During the hearing of Al-Azizia and Hill Metal Establishment reference, the judge remarked that he would write a letter to SC for another extension.

Earlier in March, the SC had granted a two-month extension to the accountability court to wrap up the proceedings. When the references could not be completed in the stipulated time, the SC had granted one more month to decide the references.

As the one-month deadline expires, the court has yet to record statements of key NAB witness Wajid Zia in one reference (Flagship reference) and two investigation officers in the Al-Azizia, Hill Metal Establishment and Flagship references.

Once the statements are recorded, defence counsel Khawaja Harris would cross-examine the witnesses. Subsequently, the accused standing trial would record their statement in the references and produce witnesses in their defence and if needed, NAB and the defence counsel would present arguments in the cases.

Following the arguments, both the parties would give a rebuttal and then the court is expected to reserve verdict and go for pronouncement of judgment.

NAWAZ CHALLENGES COURT’S VERDICT IN IHC:

Challenging the court’s verdict to dismiss his petition regarding hearing the final arguments of three references together, Nawaz filed another petition requesting the Islamabad High Court to delay the concluding arguments in Avenfield reference and give the verdict of all cases together.

The petition states that the prosecution’s star witness Wajid Zia, who is also a witness in all three references, can improve his testimonies in other two references. “All three references should have been heard together.”

Nawaz and his family members are facing three corruption references in the accountability court — Avenfield Properties, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investments — in which they are accused of money laundering, tax evasion and hiding offshore assets.