ISLAMABAD – An accountability court on Tuesday rejected the objections raised by members of Sharif family on a supplementary reference field by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in London properties case.
Judge Mohammad Bashir took up the cases after former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam, and son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar reached the court.
It is to mention here that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed three references against Nawaz and his family in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28 judgment in the Panama Papers case.
The three references include the London flats, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and offshore companies including Flagship Investment Ltd.
As the hearing began, Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Harris raises objections on the supplementary reference in the London flats case. He argued that the reference contained no new thing or evidence. He asked the court to reject.
NAB’s prosecutor during argument said that the supplementary reference has been filed after getting new evidence in the case.
In order to record statements, the court has summoned all the witnesses. NAB also pleaded the court to allow the UK-based witnesses to record their statements through video link.
The hearing has been adjourned until February 2.
Ahead of the high profile appearance, strict security measures have been taken around the federal judicial complex.
Talking about media outside the accountability court, Maryam’s counsel Amjad Pervez said that there is no new evidence or witness in the supplementary reference.
Earlier this month, the NAB submitted a supplementary reference against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and four others in the Avenfield properties case and claimed that it included new evidence against Sharif family. Around seven more witnesses, including two from the United Kingdom, have been added in the reference.
Forensic expert Robert Radley and a close relative of Panamagate Joint Investigative Team head Wajid Zia will be witnesses in the case. The NAB will produce two officials from the Ministry of Information, an employee of a private media channel and two NAB officials as witnesses.
