ISLAMABAD – Wajid Zia, the head of Joint Investigation team which probed the Panama Papers Case, has claimed that the government of United Arab Emirates has invalidated the claims regarding the sale of Gulf Steel Mills shares made by the embattled Sharif family.
Appearing before the accountability court Judge, Muhammad Bashir on Monday, Zia stated that the Sharif family had claimed that they received funds as sale proceeds of 25 percent shares of Ahli Steel Mills (erstwhile Gulf Steel Mills).
However, he continued that such transactions were denied by the Emirati officials after the JIT sought their version through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA).
‘No record regarding any transaction worth AED 12,000,000 (twelve million Dirhams) as sale proceeds of 25% shares of Ahli Steel Mills was found’ stated Wajid Zia as he testified in the Alazizia steel mills reference.
He added that no record was available which indicate the notarization of this document in 1980.
Zia, who serves as an additional FIA director, continued that the documents furnished by the children of Nawaz Sharif – Hassan, Hussain and Maryam – were fake.
The official expressed that all the submitted documents pertaining to the funds of businesses were found to be forged.
In his ‘damaging’ statement, the official declared that the details regarding the shifting of Ahli Steel Mill’s scrap, submitted by Hussain Nawaz were not based on truth.
Hussain Nawaz, in his statement before the Joint Investigation team last year, had claimed that the scrap was shifted through as many as 50 trucks, however, Wajid Zia maintained that Sharif’s son lied about the transport of machinery.
‘Tariq Shafi, the cousin of Nawaz Sharif, opened a bank account in 1986-87 and obtained more loan’ added Zia.
The Alaziziz steel mills reference, filed by the National Accountability Bureau, in the light of directives by the apex court, is among the three references filed against former premier Nawaz Sharif and his family members.
The other two references filed by the accountability watchdog pertain to Hill Metal Establishment, offshore companies including Flagship Investment Ltd, and Avenfield properties of London.
Nawaz Sharif and his sons Hussain and Hasan are accused in all three references whereas his daughter Maryam and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar are named in the Avenfield reference only.
Hussian and Hassan Nawaz are UK-based and have been absconding since the proceedings began last year, however, the former premier has been showing up regularly before the court of judge Muhammad Bashir.
