Corruption reference: Accountability Court reserves decision on NAB’s request to record statements via video-link

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Friday hearing corruption reference against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family reserved and reserved its decision on the request of submitted by National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) to record statements of two UK-based witnesses via video link.

On the directives of Supreme court after the July 28 verdict in the Panama case, NAB had filed three corruption references against the Sharif family including Al-Azizia Steel Mills, offshore companies including Flagship Investment Ltd, and Avenfield properties of London.

Former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and Son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar are stand accused in the Avenfield case. NAB had submitted on January 22 a supplementary reference revealing new evidence and witnesses including two UK-based individuals.

As the hearing began, MNA Safdar reached the court while lawyer submitted a request on behalf of Maryam and Nawaz to be exempted from the hearing, as currently he is in Karachi.

In today’s hearing, Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General told the accountability court that the two witnesses are not willing to come to Pakistan because of security reasons, however he added the witnesses are willing to record their statements on Feb 6 and 7.

Later, Maryam and Safdar’s counsel Amjad Pervez presented his arguments against the NAB plea stating that his clients should also then be allowed to record statements via video links.

The court then reserved its decision on the case.