Nawaz Sharif meets his nemesis Wajid Zia in court

By
Azaz Syed
|
Wajid Zia (left) and Nawaz Sharif (right). Photo: Geo News file 

ISLAMABAD: The classic scene inside the Accountability Court Room No.1 was similar to the Shakespearian drama Julius Caesar in which the Roman King looks at his friend Marcus Julius Brutus when he is being assassinated and utters “you too Brutus?”.

The deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and a civilian police officer Wajid Zia were sitting under the same roof, on Friday evening, before the Judge Mohammad Bashir with a distance of almost five feet from one another. Nawaz glanced at Zia a couple of times but the latter avoided to look in the direction where the former premier was seated along with two of his family members.

Zia, the head of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the Panama leaks case, had prepared a ground through his report that dragged Nawaz from the Prime Minister house to the court room, where he was facing references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The room was dominated by a silence that would often be broken by whispers of security officials, journalists, and lawyers from each side.

Nawaz, was dressed in a white shalwar kameez with a yellowish shade, a waistcoat and a blue muffler. His daughter, Maryam Nawaz was donned in a blue suit with a traditional dupatta; her husband MNA Captain (retired) Safdar Awan was wearing a red sleeveless sweater over a white shalwar kameez.

It was probably a coincidence that Nawaz and Zia’s vehicles entered at almost the same time (1.40pm) in the compound of the castle-like Federal Judicial Complex located in Islamabad. While Nawaz entered the premises from the front gate, Zia used the rear entrance to the building.

Zia was already present in the small courtroom when Nawaz along with Maryam and Captain (retired) Safdar entered the room. The seating arrangement, divided into two sides, had three rows each on the right and left.

Fixed benches were in place in the two rear rows, while the front line of each side had three fixed chairs placed before the rostrum, behind which, the judge was seated.

It was probably the court’s security staff who had guided Zia to sit on the left row — as if his placement on the front seats of the right line would have been a cause of embarrassment for the security personnel because of Nawaz’s seating arrangement.

Zia chose sitting in the middle seat of the front row. It is yet not clear whether Nawaz and his family members already knew that they would see Zia in such close proximity.

Meeting with his enemies and greeting them with a serious expression is probably a routine thing for Nawaz —in November 2013, during a military exercise function in Khairpur Tamianwali, he had not only seen Gen Aziz Ahmad, one of the key plotters of the October 12, 1999 coup but also shook hands with him…this time too, Nawaz Sharif was visibly serious.

Shortly after Zia’s arrival in the court, Nawaz, Maryam and Captain (retired) Safdar entered the room accompanied by members of their staff and PML-N leaders. All three family members were seated in the front row of the right side, with Nawaz in the middle, Maryam on his right and Safdar on his left. Nawaz, with a curious expression in his eyes, was seemingly observing the courtroom atmosphere.

Four security officials took position between the left and right rows as soon as members of the Nawaz family were seated. When I asked the security guard about the prompt action to divide the two rows, he smiled and said, ‘we wanted to protect Wajid sahib from any embarrassment.’

Judge Mohammad Bashir, after he entered the courtroom, was told that Zia was present along with the record from the Supreme Court.

Zia stood up and presented himself before the court. He said that he had brought the record and exited the room. PML-N leaders have repeatedly labelled Zia as a conspirator and a weak man. They have also alleged that instead of authoring the JIT report, Zia merely signed it. According to a few members of the ruling party, the report was not prepared by the JIT.

“I did not notice he was here,” said Captain (retired) Safdar when asked about Zia’s presence in the court.

After Zia’s departure, the court continued its proceedings. The cross-examination of Robert Radley by Nawaz’s lawyer Khawaja Haris was the agenda. The Nawaz family silently observed the proceedings, as Haris continued to question the witness.

Both, Maryam and her husband, were seen reciting verses of the Holy Quran and clicking away on their digital tasbeeh —a small digital machine used to keep count of recitations.

Safdar vacated his seat for Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, after the latter entered the courtroom. Just like the journalists, PML-N members Khawaja Saad Rafique, Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, Tallal Chaudry, and Daniyal Aziz would enter and exit the courtroom.

“Don’t let anyone whisper,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jamil Hashmi quietly directed a security official sitting next to me near the door. He was there ensuring the overall security of the building and smooth court proceedings. He frequented the room, monitoring the security arrangements.

In addition to the judge and his three-member staff, the small courtroom was packed with six lawyers and an investigator from NAB, five lawyers and assistance from the defence side, almost 12 security officials in plain clothes, one uniformed police constable, members of the PML-N, and almost 20 reporters.

After Radley's cross-examination was completed, the judge gave a ten-minute recess. Lawyers Khawaja Haris and Amjad Pervaiz Advocate approached Nawaz and could be observed smiling as they briefed him. Nawaz seemed to be happy with the way the case was proceeding.

After some time had passed Nawaz quietly stood up, carrying papers with inscriptions scribbled over them, and exited the room along with Maryam and others.