Court to resume trial in graft references against Sharifs

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court here on Thursday adjourned hearing of supplementary references till 11:30 am in absence of Nawaz Sharif’s lead counsel Khawaja Haris.

Sharif along with his two sons Hasan and Hussain Nawaz have been accused in the two references, namely Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investments, filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Judge Muhammad Bashir is to resume trial in the graft references at 11:30 am.

At the outset of court proceedings today, Sharif along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar appeared before the court. The judge was asked for a recess until Sharif’s lead counsel Khawaja Haris could arrive at court.

Sharif’s secondary lawyer Ayesha Hamid also pleaded with the court to exempt her client from personal appearance today.

The NAB prosecutor opposed the plea and contended that the presence of accused is mandatory as per law at the time of prosecution witnesses testifying against him.

However, the accountability judge granted Sharif an exemption from personal appearance and adjourned the hearing till 11:30 am.

NAB prosecution witnesses Irfan, Muhammad Ali Raza and Azhar Ikram will record their statements in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference while Naveed-ur-Rehman, Zaki-ud-Din, Rao Abdul Hannan and Rizwan Khan will document their statement in the Flagship Investments reference.

Last hearing

At the last hearing on February 15, the accountability court discarded a plea filed by Sharifs, seeking an exemption from personal appearance before the court.

During the court proceedings, Nawaz Sharif’s counsel pleaded the judge to grant his client a permission to visit his ailing wife in London by exempting the three from personal appearance before the court from February 19 to March 5.

NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Muzaffar Abbasi opposed the plea and contended that the Supreme Court’s deadline to wrap up the case is approaching, as he said, the month of March is nearing.

The deputy prosecutor said Sharif’s two sons have already been declared proclaimed offenders in the case and the case should not be further delayed.

The accountability judge then reserved a decision on the plea which was announced later.

Prosecution witnesses testify against Sharifs 

Four prosecution witnesses recorded their statements before the court in the graft references filed against the former premier and his family members.

The defence lawyers cross-examined the witnesses.

Mubashir Tauqir Shah recorded his statement before the court and said a CD containing volume 5 of Panamagate JIT report has been handed over to NAB officer on February 5, besides providing the investigation officer (IO) a 12-page transcript of Hassan Nawaz’s interview to BBC.

Maryam’s lawyer Amjad Pervez asked the witness whether the investigation officer documented your statement.

To which, he said the IO didn’t document his statement rather took signature on a memo.

Sharif along with his sons-Hussain and Hassan – has been named in three NAB references, while his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt. Safdar have been nominated in a reference with regard to the Sharif family’s London-based Avenfield properties.

The references were filed in compliance with the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict last year.

The bureau had earlier filed a supplementary reference against the former premier and members of his family in the Avenfield properties case.

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