ISLAMABAD: The cross-examination of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director Wajid Zia, who headed the probe into the Sharif family’s assets during the Panama Papers case, resumed on Thursday at the accountability court conducting corruption proceedings against former premier Nawaz Sharif and his family.
Khawaja Haris, counsel for Nawaz, resumed cross-examination of the witness in the Avenfield properties reference – one of three filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in light of the Supreme Court’s Panama Papers case judgment last year. Nawaz, daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar have been indicted in the Avenfield reference. They were present in the court.
Zia informed the court that the Qatari prince had refused to appear before the JIT to record his statement and instead invited the JIT to Doha in this regard. He revealed that the JIT members could not agree on whether to go to Doha to record the statement, after which the matter was referred to the Supreme Court. Later, the court allowed Nawaz and family to leave the proceedings. The hearing was later adjourned till Friday.
Published in Daily Times, March 30th 2018.
