Islamabad (May 30, 2018): Hearing of Avenfield Reference against the Sharif Family adjourned until June 5, son in law of the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Captain (retd) Safdar completed his statement in the case.
Captain retired Safdar categorically denied his involvement in the reference, with his legal counsel Amjad Pervaiz claiming that many of the business dealings occurred before his marriage to Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz.
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“The letter by Mossack Fonseca does not concern me, it is not a primary document,” he said, adding “this letter cannot be verified as per the law for indictment.
Captain Retired Safdar said that accepting the letter as evidence would be contrary to holding a free trial.
When asked about the Capital FZE certificate, Safdar said that the certificate does not concern him. “The indictment doesn’t concern me either.”
Yesterday, Captain Retired Safdar while recording his statement in the accountability court of Judge Muhammad Bashir said that his age is 55 years and he is a member of the national assembly since last 10 years.
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He stated that he has nothing to with the Gul Steel Mills, the deal is off before my marriage, when Hussain Nawaz appeared before JIT, I was performing Umrah, he added.
“I have nothing to do with the Avenfield and Hudibiya Paper Mills Cases.” asserted Safdar.
During the hearing, Deputy Prosecutor of NAB raised an objection, when Captain Retired Safdar started to read his written statement, but son in law of the former premier continued to read his statement and said that JIT report is one-sided.
NAB Prosecutor said to Captain Retired Safdar during hearing that it is unfortunate that you have been left alone in the court, by Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, on which Safdar said it was my will that when I start recording my statement, no family member should be present in the court.
Corruption Cases:
The corruption references, filed against the Sharifs, pertain to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, offshore companies including Flagship Investment Ltd, and Avenfield properties of London on the orders of the supreme court.
Nawaz and sons Hussain and Hasan are accused in all three references whereas his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Safdar are accused in the Avenfield reference only.
The court originally had a deadline of six months which ended in mid-March but was extended for two months after the judge requested the apex court.
Later, on May 9, the trial court’s second plea for a deadline extension was approved by the Supreme Court which gave a month to both sides to finish the corruption cases.
