NAB to file four references against Sharif family, Dar

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday decided to file four references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his three children, son-in-law and former finance minister Ishaq Dar. 

The references would be filed under orders from the Supreme Court as part of the verdict which disqualified Nawaz from the office of prime minister. 

References would be filed by NAB Rawalpindi against Nawaz Sharif, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Capt (retd) Safdar and Ishaq Dar.

The case will be pursued in an accountability court. 

The references will be prepared on the basis of the material collected and referred by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in its report and some other material which may be available with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and NAB having nexus with the assets in the below mentioned cases or which might subsequently become available including material that may become available in pursuant to the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) requests sent by JIT to different jurisdictions.

References

a) Reference relating to the Avenfield Properties (Flat No.16 and 16-A, 17 and 17-A Avenfield House, Park Lane, London, United Kingdom).

b) Reference relating to establishment of Azizia Steel Company and Hill Metal Company.

c) Reference relating to the companies mentioned in paragraph 9 of the judgment.

d) Reference relating to respondent No.10 for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.

Earlier, NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry chaired a meeting to chart how to proceed with the Supreme Court’s orders in the Panama Papers case.

The participants of the meeting were given a briefing by the bureau's prosecution wing. 

A source close to the NAB chief had said the apex court’s decision will be fully implemented by the anti-graft body.

The deputy chairperson of the bureau, deputy prosecutor general, director general operations and director general of NAB Rawalpindi are attending the meeting, according to sources.

After the Supreme Court announced the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister on July 28, NAB was ordered to file several references against Nawaz Sharif, his children Hussain, Hasan and Maryam, son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar and then finance minister Senator Ishaq Dar.

The accountability bureau was given six weeks, from the date of the court's order, to file the reference in an accountability court.  

In its order, the five-member-bench also requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to nominate a judge of the Supreme Court to supervise and monitor implementation of the judgement and oversee proceedings of NAB and the accountability court.

The court ordered the filing of references on the basis of material collected and referred to by the Panama case Joint Investigating Team (JIT) in its final report and other material that may be available with the Federal Investigation Agency and NAB having any connection with the assets under investigation or which may subsequently become available including material that may come from the Mutual Legal Assistance requests sent by the JIT to different jurisdictions.

References 

A reference against Nawaz, Maryam, Hussain, Hasan and Capt (retd) Safdar, relating to the Avenfield properties (flats 16, 16-A, 17 and 17-A Avenfield House, Park Lane, London, United Kingdom), has been directed to be filed by NAB. "In preparing and filing this Reference, the NAB shall also consider the material already collected during the course of investigations conducted earlier, as indicated in the detailed judgments," the court ruled.

The court also ordered the filing of a reference against respondents Nawaz, Hussain and Hasan regarding Azizia Steel Company and Hill Metal Establishment. 

A reference was ordered against Dar possessing assets and funds beyond his known sources of income, "as discussed in paragraph 9 of the judgment".

The court also ordered NAB to include in its proceedings all other persons including Sheikh Saeed, [nephew of Dar’s wife] Musa Ghani, [son of a retired officer from London Stock Exchange] Kashif Masood Qazi, [Nawaz’s friend] Javaid Kiyani and [National Bank of Pakistan President] Saeed Ahmed, who have any direct or indirect nexus or connection with the actions of Nawaz, Hussain, Hasan, Maryam and Dar, leading to acquisition of assets and funds beyond their known sources of income.

A reference was also ordered against Nawaz, Hussain and Hasan regarding the companies mentioned in paragraph nine of the judgment. 

The bench also gave NAB the option to file supplementary reference(s) "if and when any other asset, which is not prima facie reasonably accounted for, is discovered".

The accountability court will then proceed with and decide the aforesaid references within six months from the date of filing.

The Supreme Court has stated that if the accountability court finds any deed, document or affidavit filed by or on behalf of the respondents or any other person to be fake, false, forged or fabricated, it shall take appropriate action against the person concerned as per the law.