Avenfield reference: Accountability court resumes hearing against Nawaz and family

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Accountability court hearing corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family resumed proceedings on Tuesday. Nawaz Sharif reached the court for the hearing of Avenfield reference.

Judge Muhammad Bashir will preside over the hearing of the Avenfield properties reference today.

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.

Nawaz, daughter Maryam and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar have been indicted in the Avenfield reference.

Wajid Zia, former head of Panama case joint investigation team (JIT) will resume recording his statement and will also present documents related to the case from the JIT report.

During the last hearing on March 16, Maryam’s counsel Amjad Pervez and Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris questioned the legality of the evidence being presented by Zia and objected that they are copies of photocopies and unverified documents.

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.

The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court.