Avenfield reference: NAB objects to Kulsoom’s medical report

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday objected to medical report pertaining to health condition of Kalsoom Nawaz, however the Accountability Court granted Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz three-day exemption from personal appearnace.

Forwarding final arguments in Avenfield apartments corruption reference, legal counsel for Nawaz Sharif, Khawaja Haris Ahmad argued before the court that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecution failed to provide details to this court as to which date these apartments were purchased against what amount of money, who purchased these and from whom.

Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz got three-day exemption from appearance from the accountability court (AC) proceedings after both of them applied on account of tending ailing Kulsoom Nawaz.

Continuing with his arguments, advocate Haris once again repeated that the NAB prosecution failed to mention and produce before this court, details of Nawaz Sharif known sources of income at the time of the purchase of Avenfield properties. In such a situation, it is not possibleto draw a comparison whether or not the assets are disproportionate if accepted for the sake of argument. They even don’t know the exact date of purchase of these properties and JIT failed to establish any link between Nawaz Sharif and the Avenfield properties, Haris said. Prosecution also failed to establish that the Nawaz Sharif children were his dependent or benamidars and even Wajid Zia did not tell if children were dependent or benamidars.

Haris once again questioned admissibility of the JIT report as evidence and said that it could not be used. Haris once again repeated that the prosecution did not investigate other persons who were either shareholder or witnesses to the agreements of Gulf Steel Mills and therefore the prosecution version bears no legal value.

Prosecution had been consistently using the term ‘Sharif family’ that is a vague term in its nature and it is not specific to his client Nawaz Sharif. The prosecution had to specify which person they are talking about whether he is Nawaz Sharif or not. Its JIT’s mala fide to include the whole Sharif family in the case when it could not be specific about an individual’s role, Haris also said.

He said that no prosecution witness said that Nawaz Sharif was paying ground rent for Avenfield properties. Section 9(a)(v) is about the public office holder but no particular charge has been attributed to his client. Haris also objected to the conclusions and inferences drawn by the JIT. Further hearing will be today on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, AC granted exemption to Nawaz Sharif and his daughter for three days while the NAB Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi opposed the application saying that nowhere there is any mention in the report that the condition of the patient is life threatening. Nawaz Sharif had applied for 7 days exemption while AC granted him 3 days.

In his application, Nawaz Sharif said that he traveled to United Kingdom (UK) on June 14 for the purpose of tending his ailing wife. Upon arrival he came to know that his wife had a cardiac arrest and she has been put on life supporting ventilator.

On June 21, doctors treating his wife held a multi-disciplinary discussion over the condition of his wife and issued a report that says, applicant’s wife is suffering from cardio-respiratory collapse, cardiogenic shock with multiple organ failure, malnutrition and refeeding syndrome.

Nawaz Sharif also attached a copy of the medical report with his application prepared by Dr Carlos MH Gomez at Harley Street Clinic. Nawaz Sharif said that he was due to return Pakistan on June 23 but his wife’s continuing critical condition prevented him to return to the country. He said that the doctors treating his wife are hopeful that she will recover in the current week and then he will be able to communicate with her. In these circumstances, applicant is forced to extend his stay in London, Nawaz Sharif said. Nawaz Sharif has appointed Barrister Ali Ameel Parvez Malik and Zaafir Khan Tareen advocate to act as pleader in his absence from the court.