ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau for an alteration in the statement of prosecution witness Wajid Zia, who also headed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in the Panama Papers case.
The notice was issued when a two-member bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, resumed hearing Nawaz’s petition, where Nawaz’s lawyer Khawaja Haris contended that “the report was not presented by the former premier or his son Hussain”.
Justice Minallah remarked that “if the report was presented, it should be a part of the JIT report”.
He further questioned Haris how the alteration in Zia’s statement would impact the case. To this, Nawaz’s lawyer responded by saying, “NAB’s objection says that the statement could be changed.”
The judge then ruled to hear the statement of the anti-graft body. The hearing was adjourned after a notice was issued the NAB officials to appear before the court on September 4.
Earlier on Monday, an accountability court heard the Al-Azizia Mills and Flagship Investment corruption references against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
The former premier was transported to the court from Adiala Jail, where he is imprisoned following Avenfield verdict, under tight security.
As the hearing went underway, Khawaja Haris’ assisting lawyer apprised the court that Nawaz’s lawyer was busy in the Islamabad High Court, where a petition is fixed for hearing in the division bench on Monday.
Accountability Court II Judge Arshad Malik, who was hearing the case, inquired about the commencement time of the IHC hearing. To this, the assisting lawyer responded by saying that the division bench starts hearing cases at 11 am.
The accountability court then adjourned the hearing till 12 pm.
On July 6, an accountability court had sentenced Nawaz to a total of 11 years in prison and slapped a £8 million fine (Rs1.3 billion) in the corruption reference while his daughter Maryam was sentenced to eight years with a £2 million fine (Rs335 million). Additionally, Nawaz’s son-in-law Capt (r) Safdar was given a one-year sentence without any fine.
In September 2017, the trial against the Sharif family commenced. On July 6, after four extensions in the original six-month deadline to conclude all three cases, the court announced its verdict in the Avenfield reference.
Nawaz and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references whereas Maryam and Safdar were 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.
