Witnesses record statements in supplementary references against Nawaz

The accountability court hearing corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family resumed its proceedings today.

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.

Judge Muhammad Bashir is hearing the Al-Azizia and Flagship supplementary references in the first half, whereas the Avenfield properties supplementary reference will be heard after 2pm.

For the first two references, the court is recording the statements of three witnesses today: Abdul Hanan, Rizwan Khan and Sunil Ijaz.

Nawaz's counsel Khawaja Harris will cross-examine the witnesses once they record their statements.

The head of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Panama Papers case, Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director Wajid Zia, will appear in court today to record his statement in the Avenfield reference.

In the previous hearing of the Avenfield supplementary reference, the court had completed recording the statement of forensic expert Robert Radley who admitted that the Calibri font was available in a limited scale in 2005.

On Thursday (yesterday), statements of five witnesses were recorded in the Al Azizia and Flagship references.

The corruption cases

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.

In the Al Azizia and Flagship supplementary references, submitted in court on February 14, NAB had included eight new witnesses, as well as new evidence, including details of offshore companies of Hasan and Hussain.

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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