Nawaz Sharif Granted Three-day Exemption From Hearing

An Accountability Court of Islamabad Monday granted a three-day exemption from hearing to former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference on account of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz's death.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2018 ) :An Accountability Court of Islamabad Monday granted a three-day exemption from hearing to former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference on account of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz's death. The Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir conducted the hearing over corruption reference against Nawaz Sharif filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

As the hearing began, Nawaz's counsel Khawaja Haris submitted a request with the court seeking his client's five-day exemption from personal appearance in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference. He stated that the demise of Kulsoom Nawaz had affected Nawaz's mental and physical health. The application also cited the accused's personal commitments as reasons for not appearing before the court.

However, the NAB's deputy prosecutor Sardar Muzafar Abbasi apposed the request and argued that exemption shouldn't be granted on such grounds to the accused.

After hearing the arguments from both sides at large, the court granted three-day exemption from hearing to the former prime minister.

Later, during cross examining, Khawaja Haris questioned JIT head Wajid Zia about bank statements of Nawaz Sharif attached with Volume-VI of JIT report.

Zia stated that the team had submitted an attested copy of bank statement of Nawaz Sharif. He also informed the court that a loan of 103 million Saudi Riyal was approved from Saudi Investment Development Fund (SIDF) for establishment of Al-Azizia Steel Mills. However, no any installment of this loan was paid till sale of this mill in 2005, he added.

The JIT head stated that an amendment agreement in deal of the above mill was also signed by Hussein Nawaz after March 2005.

The NAB's deputy prosecutor requested the court to allow the prosecution to present documents about which questions were being raised by the defense side.

On which, the court allowed to make the Al-Azizia Steel Mills sale agreement as part of case record.

The court then adjourned hearing till tomorrow, wherein Khawaja Haris would continue cross-examining of Wajid Zia.