ISLAMABAD – The defense counsel in Avenfield property reference, Khawaja Haris argued on Friday that former premier Nawaz Sharif had nothing to do with any transactions made between Mian Sharif and Hussain Nawaz.
The defense counsel continued final arguments on the fourth day and contended that the photocopied documents can not be made part of the court record.
‘The documents for which the photocopies were presented were unverified,’ said Haris.
A day earlier, Haris remarked before the accountability court that the joint investigation team (JIT)’s findings were based on an investigation report that couldn’t be present as evidence against his clients.
Accountability court Judge Muhammad Bashir conducted hearing of Avenfield property reference against Sharif family members filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The defense counsel told the judge that the JIT was an investigation agency adding that some rules use to be set for an investigation, which decide what is an acceptable evidence and what is not.
He observed that the matter would have been handed over to the NAB, if a routine case, which would have been filed after the investigation.
The apex court had formed the JIT with investigation powers and handed over it the powers of the NAB and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the counsel argued.
He said the investigation and court proceedings were two separate things and the courts were responsible to announce the judgment on basis of available investigation material.
‘If the investigation agency formed an opinion itself then what would be the role of prosecution?,’ Haris wondered and said the prosecution was not authorized to use statements recorded under section 161 for its objectives, however, saying that the accused could use this in his favor.
The counsel continued that the audio and video recording of any statement couldn’t be admitted as an evidence, saying JIT findings were only an investigation report.
He alleged the JIT head Wajid Zia had presented even irrelevant material in the case.
Capital FZE company and financial statement of Sharif family also have nothing to do with this case, he said.
