Imran shames Nawaz for answers to accountability court questionnaire

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GEO NEWS
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PTI chief Imran Khan says how shameful is it for a person to say that Avenfield properties were owned by his sons, but he didn't know wherefrom they got money. — Geo News FILE

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan Monday shamed Nawaz Sharif for his answers to a questionnaire served to him by the accountability court hearing a corruption reference against the former premier and his family.

The PTI chief, in a statement issued to media, said that how shameful is it for a person, who became the prime minister of the country thrice, to say that Avenfield properties were owned by his sons, but he did not know wherefrom his sons got the money to purchase those properties.

Nawaz recorded answers to 55 questions in the Avenfield properties reference before the accountability court today. The former premier said the prosecution had "failed miserably" to prove both, its stance and any link between him and the London flats.

Imran said that according to Nawaz, his sons are British nationals and the law of Pakistan does not apply to them. "Today, Nawaz Sharif also withdrew from Qatari [prince's] letter."

He said the former premier conceived a funny scheme by declaring money laundering justified, after having wasted two years of time in the Supreme Court and the taxpayers' money.

"It means that anyone [like Ishaq Dar and Nawaz Sharif] can transfer looted money to his sons abroad," the PTI chief lambasted.

PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said that Nawaz suggests inquiring Hasan and Hussain Nawaz about Avenfield properties, but you cannot ask them for they are British nationals.

"Nawaz Sharif thinks the entire nation is a fool," Chaudhry added.

The Avenfield reference, pertaining to the Sharif family's London properties, is among three references filed against Sharif family by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last year on the Supreme Court's directives.

127 questions

An accountability court has sought responses to 127 questions from Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield Properties reference, sources said.

The questionnaire, which was handed over to the accused on May 17 and a copy of which was obtained by Geo News, inquires Nawaz about the statements of each witness presented by his counsel.

The document also includes questions as to why the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Panama Leaks case was formed, all the evidence presented to the court, and letters from other countries.

Included in the questionnaire are queries about the establishment of Gulf Steel Mills and the debts and liabilities of the entity. The court has sent for a response to how Nawaz's children became the director and shareholder of the Hudaibiya Paper Mills.

The document also inquires about the television interviews of Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, statements of witnesses Robert Radley and Akhtar Riaz Raja, and JIT Head Wajid Zia.

The references

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.

NAB had earlier filed interim references in all three cases and later added supplementary references to them with new evidence and witnesses.

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 court originally had a deadline of six months which ended in mid-March but was extended for two months after the judge requested the apex court.

Later on May 9, the trial court's second plea for a deadline extension was approved by the Supreme Court which gave a month to both sides to finish the corruption cases.