Avenfield case: Nawaz, Maryam exempted from court appearance today
April 13, 2018
ISLAMABAD: Wajid Zia's cross-examination by the secondary defence counsel entered its third day today in the hearing of the Avenfield properties reference against the Sharif family.
Zia, an additional director at the Federal Investigation Agency, headed the Panama case joint investigation team (JIT) which probed the Sharif family’s assets last year.
As the hearing went under way, the court approved the exemption request of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and daughter Maryam as they could not depart from Lahore due to the inclement weather.
However, Nawaz's son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar was present in court.
The JIT decided not to include in its investigation the Arena company, Zia informed the court during his cross-examination.
This is not true that the JIT did not mention the company on malafide intentions, Zia added.
The witness also stated that he cannot say in whose name bearer shares were issued after their cancellation.
During the hearing, Zia informed the court that they JIT did not investigate who the owner of the London flats was before Nielsen and Nescoll offshore company.
Zia claimed that the purpose of purchasing the flats via offshore companies was to hide the identity of the real owner.
In response to a question, the former JIT head said Maryam’s link to the offshore companies was established through the letter of BVI officials, letters of FIA and Mossack Fonseca
The hearing was then adjourned until 9:30am Monday, April 16.
Avenfield reference
The Avenfield properties reference is among three filed against Nawaz and his family by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last year on the Supreme Court's directives.
Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir, who has been conducting corruption proceedings against the Sharif family since September last year, is presiding over the case.
On Wednesday, Nawaz's counsel Khawaja Haris concluded, on the tenth day, Zia's cross-examination in the Avenfield case.
After Haris concluded his cross-examination, Maryam's counsel took his place and began his cross-examination.
The cases
The trial against the Sharif family had commenced on September 14, 2017.
NAB to file three supplementary references against Nawaz
The corruption references, filed against the Sharifs, 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 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.
