ISLAMABAD – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday decided to file an appeal against the acquittal of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Flagship Investment reference.
Earlier today, an accountability court in the federal capital sentenced the former premier to seven years in prison Monday in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case.
The 68-year-old was, however, acquitted by the anti-graft court in Flagship reference. Accountability court judge Mohammad Arshad Malik said that there was no case against Nawaz Sharif in this reference.
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Following the verdict, NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal chaired a meeting to decide the future course of action. The anti-graft buster’s legal advisers and director generals concerned were present in the meeting.
Media reports say the meeting has decided that the court decision in the Flagship corruption case will be challenged. The chief of the anti-corruption watchdog has directed the officials to get an attested copy of the verdict.
He further directed them to file the appeal with solid evidence and full preparation.
Flagship Reference
In the Flagship reference, NAB had claimed that Sharif and his sons set up Flagship Investment Limited and 15 other companies and used these companies “to manage/acquire expensive properties/any movement of funds to hide the real sources of funds.”
The other 15 companies include Flagship Investments Limited, Hartstone Properties Limited, Que Holdings Limited, Quint Eaton Place 2 Limited, Quint Saloane Limited [formerly Quint Eaton Place Limited], Quaint Limited, Flagship Securities Limited, Quint Gloucester Place Limited, Quint Paddington Limited [formerly Rivates Estates Limited], Flagship Developments Limited, Alanna Services Limited (BVI), Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron Inc, Ansbacher Inc, Coomber Inc, and Capital FZE (Dubai).
The Sixteen companies, according to the NAB, were established in Britain (British Virgin Island) and Dubai in 2001. Nawaz Sharif was named as the central suspect for the off-shore company in Dubai, known as Capital FZE.
According to the documents presented before the court, Flat “12-A” in Mayfair Apartments is also part of the Flagship Investment Limited’s property.
According to the documents attested by United Kingdom’s Land Registry Department, Hasan Nawaz established Flagship Investment Limited Company in 2001 and the address mentioned in those documents is of Park Lane Field.
