- Sharifs’ counsel receives verified data of Panama case
ISLAMABAD: The accountability court hearing Avenfield reference case has sought responses to 127 questions from Nawaz Sharif, inquiring about the statements of each witness presented by his counsel.
According to reports, the document includes questions as to why the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Panama Leaks case was formed, all the evidence presented to the court and letters from other countries.
Included in the questionnaire are queries about the establishment of Gulf Steel Mills and the debts and liabilities of the entity.
The court has sent for a response to how Nawaz’s children became the director and shareholder of the Hudaibiya Paper Mills.
The document also inquires about the television interviews of Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, statements of witnesses Robert Radley and Akhtar Riaz Raja, and JIT Head Wajid Zia.
A question about why the reference was filed against Nawaz and the statements of prosecution’s witnesses against the deposed prime minister is also part of the document. The court has also inquired the defendant if they want to submit any evidence in their defence.
Earlier, the counsel for Sharif family, Khawaja Haris, on Saturday obtained verified data of Panama Leaks case from Supreme Court (SC) ahead of recording his clients’ statements in Avenfield reference.
According to sources, the record includes petitions against Sharif family, written replies of the parties, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s review petition and other documentation.
The record will be attached to the statements of Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar.
The accountability court had directed Sharif family members to record their statements on May 21 after their counsel Khawaja Harris raised objections over the questionnaire.
Khawaja Harris said that there was ambiguity in few questions due to which more time was required.
On the other hand, the counsel will continue cross-examination of Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head Wajid Zia in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference on Tuesday.
Previously, Wajid Zia told the court that Hill Metal Establishment earned $9.9 million profit during 2010 to 2017 while Nawaz Sharif received $8.9 million from the company during 2010 to 2015.
The SC had disqualified Nawaz from office in July over unreported sources of annual income of about $10,000, a salary the former premier denies ever receiving. The high court also ordered the NAB to investigate and conduct a trial into the Sharif family’s wider finances, including the London properties.
Nawaz was also ousted from the presidency of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which elected close ally Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister after Nawaz was disqualified.
