Avenfield properties reference:  Wajid Zia records statement, submit documents in accountability court

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Wajid Zia, former head of the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has recorded his statement in the Avenfield properties case and also submitted a real sealed letter of Qatari prince in accountability court hearing references against Sharif family on Friday.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar appeared in the court.
During the hearing, Wajid Zia presented the letter after which Maryam’s lawyer said it’s not the letter that was submitted on Thursday. Zia’s counsel told that this letter was received from Supreme Court’s (SC) registrar office while the other one was got from Foreign Office.

While presenting the trust deed of Maryam and Hussain Nawaz in the court, Wajid Zia informed that he wants to show the documents of Dutch bank but he is not able to find them at this time.

Resultantly, the accountability cour Judge, Muhammad Bashir has refused to make the letter as part of record. The court had also partially accepted Maryam Nawaz’s request to not make the report of JIT as part of the case.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed three interim corruption references against the Sharif family in September last year in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case. The bureau recently filed supplementary references in all three cases as well.

The trial against the Sharif family had commenced on September 14, 2017.

The corruption references, filed against the Sharif family, pertain to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, offshore companies including Flagship Investment Ltd, and Avenfield properties of London.

Nawaz and sons Hussain and Hasan are accused in all three references whereas his daughter Maryam and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar are accused in the Avenfield reference only.