IHC judge grills NAB over Maryam’s appeal

Anti-graft body told to submit proof that PML-N leader is beneficial owner of Avenfield apartments

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to prove with evidence that PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz was a beneficial owner of the Avenfield apartments.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani was hearing on Maryam’s appeal seeking the annulment of her conviction in the Avenfield apartments reference.

The NAB prosecutor sought two weeks' time to file a response on behalf of the anti-graft body.

During the hearing, the NAB prosecutor argued that Maryam was the beneficial owner of the Avenfield apartments and had helped her father hide his ownership. He added that the financial sources used to buy the apartments were also not disclosed.

Justice Kayani questioned how a daughter could be found guilty if the buyer did not disclose the source.

Justice Farooq remarked that the court believed that the letter by a foreign financial agency that NAB was relying on to prove the beneficial ownership of Maryam was not admissible as evidence under the local law.

He added that the court had to make decision based on evidence instead of what was being said on the media.

The court inquired as to how old Maryam was when the investment was made in 1980.

Maryam replied herself she was seven years old at that time.

Read IHC CJ seeks proof against ex-CJP over 'manipulation' of Nawaz's case

Justice Farooq remarked that a seven-year-old girl did not have her own source of income.

The judge told the NAB to prove that Maryam was the beneficial owner of the apartments.

“Is a letter all the proof that you have?” Should we consider it the decisive evidence? Do you have any other evidence than that?”

The court later adjourned the hearing till November 24.

Speaking to the media outside the court, Maryam said an affidavit by Rana Mohammad Shamim, the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, had again proven her innocence and that of her father, former premier Nawaz Sharif – the third time that a testimony had come from within the judiciary.

She added that the PTI-led government was already on a ventilator and now nearing its end.

“We were sure that the days of tyrants are numbered, and one day the truth will come out one day. However, I didn’t believe it would come so soon,” she claimed.

“Despite the existence of the same fake government, courts, the abuse of power and conspiracies, a testimony in favour of Nawaz Sharif has come from within the judiciary.”

Maryam maintained that the late judge Arshad Malik had testified in favour of her father in his lifetime. “Instead of investigating his video, he was fired.”

She added that ex-IHC judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had testified in favour of Nawaz during his tenure and he was taken to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) for speaking the truth.

“Today, a great testimony has again come from within the judiciary. The testimony of the former G-B chief judge was in front of everyone.”

A day earlier, the IHC had issued show cause notices to investigative journalist Ansar Abbasi, Editor Amir Ghouri and Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakilur Rehman and Shamim.

In his story, Abbasi had published an affidavit of Shamim. The former chief judge of the Gilgit Appellate Court had claimed in the affidavit that former CJP Saqib Nisar, in his presence, had called an IHC judge and told him to keep former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam in jail during the 2018 elections.

Talking to the media, Maryam lamented the IHC issuing these notices.

“What will happen to the common man in a country where justice is not done?”

The PML-N leader also said the court had issued a notice to a journalist for being a messenger.

Read more Maryam slams govt, its ‘facilitators’ for misuse of power against Nawaz

“[Ex-CJP] Saqib Nisar has refused from appearing before the court, saying that why should he do so. Is he [Nisar] beyond the law?”

Maryam maintained that the humiliating journey of the Panamagate case was led by ex-CJP Nisar.

“He [Nisar] committed the biggest injustice in history. The premier [Nawaz] was taken to court in false cases. We have suffered more than 200 court appearances in fake cases. A notice should have been served on Saqib Nisar first.”

Maryam said transparent elections were the only way to save the country from a disaster.

“We don’t want anyone’s help for an in-house change.”

Separately, Maryam advised the opposition parties to approach the court against the legislation passed by the joint sitting of parliament earlier in the day.

The government achieved a crucial victory in the parliament's joint sitting as it managed to pass the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2021, granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis and the use of electronic voting machines.