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AC Resumes Hearing Into NAB Reference Against Sharif Family

Islamabad (March 27, 2018): The former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday reached the accountability court for hearing into Avenfield properties reference filed by NAB authorities. Maryam Nawaz also accompanied her father.

Accountability Judge Muhammad Basheer is conducting the proceedings of the reference. Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director Wajid Zia, who headed the Panama case investigation team which probed the Sharif family’s assets, resumed recording his statement in the case today for the third time.

In last hearing on March 22, the accountability court rejected the week-long exemption plea from the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz to visit ailing Kulsoom Nawaz in London.

According to the details, the accountability court conducting corruption proceedings against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family dismissed on Thursday the suspects’ plea seeking a brief exemption from appearance.

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Appearing in court for the Avenfield properties case hearing, Nawaz and daughter Maryam submitted the request seeking exemption from appearing in court for a week starting March 26.

A medical report of Nawaz’s wife, Kulsoom, was attached along with the request. Kulsoom has been in London undergoing treatment for lymphoma since late last year.

Earlier in the day, the Accountability Court reserved its decision on a plea of seven day exemption from court proceedings by Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz from March 26.The plea was submitted by the counsel of Nawaz Sharif, Khwaja Haris, who said that the former prime minister had to go to visit his ailing wife who is undergoing a chemotherapy process and therefore his husband and daughter needs to be there with her.

The request stated that Ali Aimal and Jahangir Jadoon will appear in place of Nawaz and Maryam respectively.

A medical report of Nawaz’s wife, Kulsoom, was attached along with the request. Kulsoom has been in London undergoing treatment for lymphoma since late last year.The NAB prosecutor however rejected the plea and said that the case is moving towards its end and giving exemption to the accused would possibly help him in fleeing from the country.

The judge Muhammad Bashir who was heading the proceedings into the case pertaining to interim NAB references in Avanfield Apartments case reserved the decision on the plea.

An earlier similar request of Nawaz to visit his ailing wife was turned down by the court.

Wajid Zia records statement
Wajid Zia, a serving additional director of the Federal Investigation Agency who headed the joint investigation team (JIT) which probed the Sharif family’s assets last year on the Supreme Court’s orders, resumed recording his statement today.

Zia also presented in court two letters from a Qatari royal family member related to the Sharif family’s businesses.The hearing was then adjourned until March 27.

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.

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.

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AC Rejects Nawaz, Maryam Week-Long Exemption Plea