مضمون کا ماخذ : گرم سے زیادہ گرم
NAB witnesses testify against Nawaz, Maryam, Safdar
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) witnesses testified before the accountability court on Tuesday against ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar in the Al Azizia Steel Mills, Flagship Investments and Avenfiled properties graft references. The statements were recorded by the accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir in presence of […]
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) witnesses testified before the accountability court on Tuesday against ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar in the Al Azizia Steel Mills, Flagship Investments and Avenfiled properties graft references.
The statements were recorded by the accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir in presence of Khawaja Haris Ahmad, senior counsel for Nawaz Sharif and Amjad Pervez Bhatti, counsel for Maryam and Safdar.
During the recording of statements, the ousted premier, who was granted exemption by the court from personal appearance till December 12, was represented by his pleader (legal representative) Zaafir Khan Tareen.
Maryam Nawaz, who was granted exemption from personal appearance by the court till December 15, was represented by her pleader Jahangir Khan Jadoon. However, Capt (r) Safdar appeared in-person.
Continuing his testimony before the court in Al Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investments references, a prosecution witness Malik Tayyab Ahmad, who is an employee of Standard Chartered Bank, stated that Maryam Nawaz received three cheques from Nawaz Sharif’s account amounting to Rs 12 million, Rs 28.8 million and Rs 19.5 million on June 13, 2015, November 15, 2015 and August 14, 2016, respectively. Due to the shortage of time, his statement could not be completed, thus the court directed him to again appear today (Wednesday) to complete and testimony and face the cross-examination by the defence counsel.
The court also recorded the statements of NAB Lahore officials Umar Daraz, Mukhtar Ahmad and Adeel Akhtar in the Avenfield reference. They stated that they delivered the NAB summons to Nawaz Sharif and his family members at their Jati Umrah residence, Shamim House. They stated that the summons were received by the security officers Ataullah Khan and Malik Arif.
The court directed NAB to present Afaq Ahmad, an employee of Foreign Office, for recording his statement at the next hearing of the Flagship Investments reference. Later, the court adjourned the hearing in the Avenfield and Flagship Investments references until December 11. Hearing of Al Azizia Steel Mills reference will resume today (Wednesday).
During the hearing, Capt (r) Safdar also filed an application requesting the court to grant him exemption from personal appearance for two weeks. He stated that his pleader Faisal Irfan will represent him during his absence. The court, however, did not rule over his request.
The SC in its July 28, 2017 verdict in the Panama Papers case had disqualified Nawaz Sharif as prime minister and directed NAB to file references against Nawaz Sharif and his children in six weeks and the accountability court was directed to decide the references within six months.
On September 8, 2017, NAB had filed three references against Nawaz Sharif and his family members, and one against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. The three references against the Sharif family are related to the Flagship Investment Ltd, the Avenfield (London) properties and Jeddah-based Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment.
The former premier and his sons, Hassan and Hussain, have been named in all the three references, whereas Maryam and Safdar have been named only in the Avenfield reference.
Published in Daily Times, December 6th 2017.
