Assets reference: Wajid Zia appears in court, to record statement on Feb 12

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GEO NEWS
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FIA Additional Director Wajid Zia outside the court today. Photo: Geo News

ISLAMABAD: Former head of the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT), Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director Wajid Zia, appeared before the accountability court conducting corruption proceedings against Senator Ishaq Dar on Thursday. 

As Judge Mohammad Bashir began the proceedings, Zia informed the court that the JIT's final report is not available with him as all the record was submitted to the Supreme Court. 

In response, the judge observed that they will write to the apex court's registrar once more to be provided the JIT report. 

Moreover, the court observed that it can record Zia's statement on Feb 12.  

The hearing was then adjourned until Monday, investigation officer Nadir Abbas, who was also present in court today, will record his statement after Zia. 

Dar, the former finance minister and close aide of Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif, is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income. 

A reference against him was filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case. Following his indictment, Dar has been a no-show in the proceedings after he departed for London in October last year seeking medical treatment.

At the last hearing on January 31, two officials of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan had recorded their statements after which the court had directed for the production of the prosecution's next witnesses, Zia and Abbas. 

Moreover, on Wednesday (yesterday), the accountability court reserved its decision on Dar's plea to un-freeze his assets which were seized last year on NAB's orders.