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AC Adjourns Corruption Reference Hearing Till August 07

Islamabad (August 03, 2018): An Accountability court on Friday has adjourned the hearing of Al-Azizia and Flagship References against Sharif Family till August 07.

Accountability Court-I judge, Muhammad Bashir adjourned the hearing due to under trial pleas against the references at Islamabad High Court.

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Yesterday during the hearing of the pleas at the IHC, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris concluded arguments on Thursday in the petition to transfer the Al-Azizia and Flagship references against his client to another accountability court.

Nawaz and other family members have also filed petitions against their convictions in the Avenfield reference in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

As the two-member bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb began the hearing, Haris resumed presenting his arguments.He pleaded that for an impartial and fair trial, a fresh judge needs to be assigned to hear the remaining corruption cases against his client.

With regards to impartiality of judges, Justice Farooq wondered if a judge who has remained an anti-smoking advocate can preside over a case involving smoking.

Presenting his arguments, Haris claimed that Nawaz has nothing to do with any properties mentioned in the corruption references, adding that Nawaz’s children were dependants of their grandfather and not Nawaz.NAB Court Adjourns Hearing Against Sharifs Till August 03During the hearing, the court directed Haris to present the similarities of the three cases, including common witnesses and defence, by laying it out in a chart form.

Laying out the similarities, Haris contended that Nawaz’s speech in Parliament and address to the nation is a common piece of evidence in all three cases.

Similarly, Haris stated that the sources of income chart in Volume IX of the JIT report, as well as Hussain and Hasan Nawaz’s interviews are common pieces of evidence.As Nawaz’s counsel concluded his arguments, the hearing was adjourned until Monday.

Earlier on July 30, the Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir adjourned the hearing of the Al Azizia and Flagship corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif till August 01 (today).

As the hearing went underway, the court inquired into the presence of Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris. His colleague then informed the court that the counsel is on his way.

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Earlier on, hearing of the Al-Azizia Reference, filed by NAB on the directions of the Supreme Court resumed in the accountability court of Judge Muhammad Bashir against Sharif Family.

Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head and prosecution’s main witness Wajid Zia said he did not come across any document during the investigation which showed that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is the owner of Al-Azizia Steel Mills.

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As per the bank statement, Nawaz’s son Hussain Nawaz sent him an amount worth US$1.1 million as a ‘gift’ from July 5, 2010, to June 30, 2011. “It is true that the dollars sent to Nawaz were a gift from his son,” Zia remarked.

Nawaz should have declared the amount in the wealth statement for 2010-2011, Zia added.

The National Accountability Bureau prosecutor Wasiq Malik remarked that there is no need to compare the bank statement with tax record, adding “our case is different”.Zia, a Federal Investigation Agency additional director, headed the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Sharif family’s assets last year.

It is to be mentioned here that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar were convicted and sentenced to prison in absentia for ten years, seven years and one year respectively, in Avenfield verdict that is likely to further disrupt an already chaotic campaign for national elections this month.

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Maryam Nawaz and Captain (r) Safdar, who were candidates for the forthcoming general elections were also disqualified from contesting elections for 10 years each.

The sentence and a fine of 8 million pounds, or $10.6 million, came almost a year after Supreme Court removed Sharif from office and less than five months after the court barred him from holding office for life.Nawaz Gets 10 Years in Jail, Maryam 7 In Avenfield ReferenceNawaz Sharif was convicted under section 9(a)(5) of the NAB ordinance.

The case stemmed from the Panama Papers leak that disclosed expensive and undeclared property owned by the Sharif family in London.

Related News:

IHC Hearing Sharifs Plea To Transfer Corruption References

NAB Court Adjourns Hearing Against Sharifs Till August 03