Haris Concludes Cross-examination Of Wajid Zia In Al-Azizia Reference

Defence counsel Khawaja Haris Tuesday concluded his cross-examination of Panama Papers case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head Wajid Zia on the 19th day in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Sep, 2018 ) :Defence counsel Khawaja Haris Tuesday concluded his cross-examination of Panama papers case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head Wajid Zia on the 19th day in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik, who conducted hearing of the corruption reference against Nawaz Sharif, summoned Mehboob Alam, NAB's investigation officer in the above reference, to record his statement on September 27.

During the cross-examination, Wajid Zia deposed that an amount of 6.5 million Pounds was sent to the United Kingdom from Saudi Arabia. Nawaz's son Hussein Nawaz admitted before the JIT that 5 million pounds were returned in 2006 for investment in the Hill Metal Establishment company, however, no evidence in that regard was collected, he added.

Wajid Zia said in some documents the company's name was mentioned as Hill Metal Industry. The accused, however, had written Hill Metal Establishment as the company's name in the documents submitted before the apex court, he added.

Judge Arshad Malik remarked that there was no dispute over the company's name in the corruption reference.

But Khawaja Haris said it was a big issue.

The judge asked the JIT head to inform the court approximately in how many documents the company's name was mentioned as Hill Metal Establishment.

To another query, Zia said the JIT did not find documents that showed Hussein Nawaz as a defaulter. The JIT didn't asked Hussein about the difference between Hill Metal Establishment and Modern Industry for HME, he added.

He said Hussein Nawaz had told the team that the money collected from the sale of Al-Azizia Steel Mills was also used for the establishment of HME.

During investigation process, the JIT came to know that Bilal Rasul was the nephew of former Punjab governor Mian Azhar, and he did not know that his wife was now supporter of Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf, he said.

Zia said he knew about the association of JIT's other member Aamir Aziz with the National Institute of Banking (NIB) and with NAB as a banking expert during the Pervaiz Musharraf tenure. He also knew about Irfan Mangi, another JIT member, that he was working with NAB Quetta and that an inquiry was underway against him, he added.

The court adjourned the hearing till September 27.