ISLAMABAD: Accountability court on Monday will be recording statements of former Prime Miniter (PM) Nawaz Sharif along with daughter Maryam Nawaz and Captain (r) Safdar in Avenfield properties reference case against them.
The Sharif family will be appearing before the court to submit their responses.
Earlier, Judge Mohammad Bashir had extended the deadline of Sharif family’s statement recording owing to objections raised by the defense against the 127 questions pertaining to Avenfield properties sent by the court. Nawaz’s counsel had requested the court to grant more time so that the questions could be pondered over.
The defense counsel had also pointed out to certain discrepancies within the questions due to which the court had extended the statement recording till Monday.
Previously, on May 16, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi had pled the court to record the statement of the accused in Avenfield properties case. The court had reserved its verdict on the prosecutor’s plea
Accountability court on May 17 had sent over a questionnaire comprising of 127 questions to the Sharif family, directing the accused to present their testimony in accordance to the given questions.
The questionnaire comprises of questions related to formation of Panama Papers Joint Investigation Team (JIT), establishment of Gulf Steel Mills, statements of Sharif’s sons and JIT head Wajid Zia.
Former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif along with daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar were charged in Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Avenfield Properties and Flagship Investment Limited reference cases in September last year by NAB following the Panama Papers verdict.
The case proceedings of Avenfield properties completed its key witness statement recording on March 27.
The reference cases were to end within six months duration making it till mid-march; however, on May 9 trial court’s second extension plea was approved by the apex court, granting a month’s extension to conclude the trial.