Avenfield reference: Accountability court grants Nawaz, Maryam exemption from today’s appearance

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Accountability court hearing corruption reference against Sharif family has accepted the Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz request of exemption from court appearance on Friday.

As the hearing begins, the court was informed that Nawaz Sharif and Maryam could not make to attend the hearing as they were unable to travel Islamabad from Lahore due to the inclement weather.

Wajid Zia, the former head of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which probed the Sharif family assets last year, is present in the court as the cross-examination of Zia by the secondary defense counsel enters its third day in the Avenfield properties reference.

However, Nawaz’s son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar is present in court.

The Avenfield properties reference is among three filed against Nawaz and his family by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last year on the Supreme Court’s directives.

During the last hearing on Wednesday, Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Harris concluded, the Zia’s cross-examination in the Avenfield case on the tenth day.

After Haris concluded his cross-examination, Maryam’s counsel took his place and began his cross-examination.

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