‘Unprepared’ Nawaz fails to record statement

Counsel seeks to grill NAB investigation officer before submitting reply

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif could not record his statement before an Accountability Court in the Flagship corruption reference due to lack of preparedness.

Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris informed the court here on Monday, he wanted to first cross-examine the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) Investigation Officer (IO) Muhammad Kamran, after which the former premier, who was present for the hearing would record his statement as at present he was not prepared enough.

Haris also requested the court that since hearing of a NAB application against termination of the IHC verdict in the Avenfield reference is scheduled before the Supreme Court, therefore he should be permitted to quiz the IO.  The accountability court approved his request while Judge Arshad Malik who was hearing the reference remarked the answers which were ready could be submitted while the remaining can be given later.

During the cross-examination the NAB investigation officer informed the court the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had written two Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAs) applications to the UK Central Authority in July 2017, one of which was related to his inquiry in which details regarding the Nelson, Nescol and Comber companies were sought. He also told the court the MLA carries name of the solicitor, who looked after matters of their companies as told by Hasan Nawaz to the JIT.

“It is true these companies are not owned by Hasan Nawaz hence the MLA doesn’t carry his name," he told the court adding that permission was taken from the chairman NAB before submitting the application.

Subsequently, counsel Khawja Haris pleaded for the investigating officer to be ordered to present the application in court but the NAB prosecutor opposed his stance, stating the file was highly confidential and couldn’t be presented in court.

Judge Malik then asked the defence counsel to only ask relevant questions to NAB witness, “So many people are assisting the NAB witness in answering my questions,” claimed Haris. Upon this grievance of Sharif’s counsel, the judge remarked that every minute detail of the witness's statement should be taken on record.

NAB Deputy Prosecutor Sardar Muzafar Abbasi also objected over Haris’s queries, who, he said, was asking irrelevant questions. Later, the court adjourned the case till November 13 Tuesday (today).