Avenfield reference: Wajid Zia to record statement in accountability court today

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: An Accountability court hearing corruption references against Sharif family has exempted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and daughter Maryam from appearing before the accountability on Thursday.

As the hearing began Judge Mohammad Bashir was asked about Nawaz and Maryam exemption from appearance owing to the former premier’s ill health and later the court accepted the request.

However, the court directed Nawaz’s son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar to remain present in court.

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.

Later, the hearing was adjourned for a brief period as NAB’s primary witness in the case, Wajid Zia — head of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Panama Papers case  was not present in court.

The prosecution team informed the judge that Zia will appear shortly after getting the original JIT report from the Supreme Court.

Later, as Zia appeared in court with the record, the court took another short recess and will reconvene shortly.

Maryam and Safdar’s counsel, Amjad Pervez, will cross-examine Zia today, while Nawaz’s lawyer Khawaja Haris will cross-examine the witness on March 13.

During the previous hearing on March 2, Nawaz’s counsel had submitted a request to club Zia’s testimony for all three references. The judge, however, dismissed the plea and ordered Zia to appear in court today and record his statement in the Avenfield case