Maryam says ‘Whatsapp-influenced JIT report’ difficult to prove in court

ISLAMABAD: PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday said she was always confident that Wajid Zia, who headed the Panama case investigation team that probed the Sharif family's assets, would testify in favour of Nawaz Sharif.

Her statement comes a day after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director Wajid Zia finished recording his statement in the Avenfield case against the Sharif family.

"I had said earlier on to the opponents to wait for a few days and Zia, himself, would testify in our favour," she tweeted. 

She further said that 'lies have a short lifespan.' 

"It is easy for a Whatsapp-influenced joint investigation team (JIT) to prepare an agenda-based report from a room but [it is] difficult to prove such tactics in the court of law."

During the hearing of the Avenfield reference earlier today, Zia had said that the Jit did not have the documents to show that Nawaz was the beneficial owner of the Avenfield property.

"It is partially correct that we found out about the beneficial owner on the basis of two letters written in 2012 and 2017," said Wajid Zia, adding that they came to the conclusion analysing the letters and laws of the United Kingdom.

He further remarked that he has never seen original documents of registered offshore holdings.

As Zia resumed recording his statement for the fifth time, he informed the court that Nawaz's elder son Hussain owned the Avenfield flats from 1993 to 1996.

When Maryam's counsel Amjad Pervez objected to the claim, Zia said Hussain had informed the JIT of the same so the fact cannot be disputed. Zia also asserted that the signed documents submitted to the JIT by Nawaz's children were bogus.

The cases

The trial against the Sharif family had commenced on September 14, 2017.

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.

The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court.