The Accountability Court will announce the verdict on December 24.
Lahore (Pakistan Point News – 19th December, 2018) The Accountability Court has reserved the verdict in the al-Azizia and Flagship references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
Accountability Court judge Arshad Malik has reserved the verdict in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against Nawaz Sharif which will be announced on December 24.
Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris has requested more time in the case which was rejected.
The verdict has been reserved after both the parties concluded their arguments in the case.
The Supreme Court had given a deadline of December 24 to the Accountability Court to conclude references against the former prime minister.
The Accountability Court will announce the verdict on December 24.
Khawaja Haris, counsel for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on December 12 concluded his final arguments before the Accountability Court-II (AC) of Islamabad in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference.
During the course of proceedings, the defense counsel pleaded before that Hussain Nawaz, son of Nawaz Sharif, was responsible to answer questions about the establishment of Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment (HME).
AC Judge Arshad Malik heard the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against the Sharif family. Accused Nawaz Sharif appeared before the court for some time and was later allowed by the judge to leave.
Khawaja Haris argued that NAB had depended only on the report of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in filing corruption references against his client.
The judge remarked that had accused Hassan and Hussain Nawaz appeared before the court to face the trial then NAB's responsibility would had been limited to only proving their connection with their father Nawaz Sharif.
The defence counsel responded that in that case, the statements of Hassan and Hussain could be used against his client.
He said NAB did not include the other people, who had received the money from the Hill Metal Establishment (HME), in its investigation process. Those people were employees of HME, he added.
He said the investigation officer could not make such claim that his client had become influential after holding various public offices in the country.
He said being a non-resident citizen, Hussain was not bound to declare his businesses in foreign countries in Pakistan.
The defence counsel said NAB did not investigate the matter pertaining to shifting of ownership to Nawaz's sons.
Meanwhile on December 19, the NAB prosecutor informed the accountability court that the former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had received an amount of 0.780 million AED from Flagship Investment.
The court had summoned the two sides today in a cross-arguments session after the NAB prosecutor and Nawaz's lawyer concluded their final arguments in the above graft reference.
