ISLAMABAD: Islamabad accountability court (AC) Tuesday adjourned hearing of Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif till Wednesday.
AC Judge Arshad Malik conducted hearing of the corruption reference filed by the National Accountability Court (NAB) against the former prime minister and his sons.
Defence counsel Khawaja Haris continued cross-examination of NAB’s investigation officer Mehboob Alam, who informed the court that no evidence was found about Nawaz’s role in the establishment of Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment.
Khawaja Haris stated that his client had disclosed everything and they had adopted the same stance before the apex court.
The NAB officer said that he had neither recorded the statement of Qatari Prince Hammad Bin Jassim nor written any letter to him in that regard.
During the proceedings, NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzafar Abbasi objected that Khawaja Haris should ask only relevant queries from the investigation officer.
The judge asked whether accused Hassan and Hussain Nawaz had recorded their statements in presence of the NAB investigation officer.
The NAB prosecutor replied that both the accused even did not appear before the NAB investigation team.
Moreover, the court sought extension in the time from the Supreme Court to decide the corruption references filed by NAB against Nawaz Sharif.
AC Judge Arshad Malik, in a letter, apprised the apex court regarding the developments in the proceedings and requested it to grant further time for concluding the accused’s trial.
It may be mentioned here that the apex court had already extended the time for trial five times.
The accountability court had already concluded the Avenfield property reference and awarded imprisonment sentences to Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (r) Muhammad Safdar.
The two references related to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment are still under process.