Nawaz, Maryam, Safdar appear in accountability court

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Wednesday recorded statements of three prosecution witnesses in three corruption references pending against the former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (R) Safdar.

A branch manager of Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) Garden Town Lahore continued with his statement in connection with his statement on previous date of hearing. Yasir Shabbir Chaudhry provided details about the bank account of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. Yasir recorded his statement in Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment corruption reference.

On the last hearing, Nawaz Sharif's counsel Khawaja Haris had said that the witness should have produced complete record on the basis of which entries were made in the bank statements. On Wednesday, Yasir brought the relevant record and Khawaja Haris continued with cross examination.

In the cross examination, the witness admitted that Nawaz Sharif in his account received money as his agricultural income besides some money received from Chaudhry Sugar Mills. In September 2014, Nawaz Sharif also deposited money to the account of his mother. A prosecution witness Muhammad Tasleem Khan, who is a former regional tax officer of Inland Revenue Service, also recorded his statement in Flagship corruption reference.

Tasleem told the court that he retired from service on October 9, 2017. On August 21, a commissioner Inland Revenue Service Fiza Batool directed him to accompany Jehangir Ahmed, Commissioner Inland Revenue, Withholding Taxes Zone, Lahore, to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) office Islamabad. “We submitted details of Nawaz Sharif, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz’s income tax returns, wealth tax returns and wealth statements to the NAB investigation officers Muhammad Kamran and Mehboob Alam. We provided attested copies of the record to NAB. Fiza Batool had attested that record,” Tasleem said. He further told that the NAB investigation examined the original record. He said the NAB also recorded his statement. During cross-examination, Tasleem told that Fiza Batool did not attest copies of the documents in his presence.

Another prosecution witness Zawar Manzoor, assistant director NAB Lahore, also recorded his statement in Avenfield corruption reference.

He submitted that he was part of the NAB investigation against Nawaz Sharif. He said a joint-registrar Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Sidra Mansoor in his presence had submitted yearly audited accounts of Hudabiya Paper Mills Limited to a NAB investigation officer Muhammad Imran and he as a witness signed the seizure memo. “Investigation officer also recorded my statement,” Manzoor said.

Another clerk Muhammad Rasheed had also submitted 11 pages documents in my presence to the NAB Investigation officer. Those documents included the order dated November 5, 1999 of the High Court of Justice Queen's Bench Division, London in the suit filed by Al-Towfeek Company for Investment Funds Limited against Hudabiya Paper Mills Limited. Documents also included a six page affidavit of the advocate Mazhar Raza Bangash, Manzoor said. During cross-examination, Manzoor said that the order of Justice Queen’s Bench was original whereas the affidavit was either original or photocopy, he don’t remember. Manzoor further told that the statement of Sidra Mansoor was recorded in his presence and she produced original copies before NAB.

In Avenfield Properties corruption reference, accused have to prove legitimate sources of income for the acquisition of properties in Park Lane, London bearing number 16, 16-A, 17 & 17-A. Similarly in a reference against the establishment of Azizia Steel Company and Hill Metal establishment in Jeddah, the accused have to prove the means for establishment of these two companies, while in third corruption reference, the accused have to justify the capital invested in offshore companies. Beside several offshore companies in United Kingdom the accused also have to submit reply for 'Capital FZE' on whose basis Nawaz Sharif was disqualified being MNA.