Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz on Monday resumed recording her statement in Avenfield reference case.

Maryam along with her father Nawaz Sharif and husband Captain (r) Safdar appeared before the accountability court.

PML-N leader during the hearing refuted any allegations of being the beneficial owner of London flats.

Maryam claimed that she had nothing to do with the 25 percent shares of Gulf Steel Mills, Al-Taufiq case and the settlement worth Rs 12 million.

During the hearing Maryam said while referring to the letters used against the Sharif family were non-maintainable as evidence. The letters comprised of the one submitted by Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head Wajid Zia on July 3, 2017 and the other Mossack Fonseca dated June 22, 2012.

Maryam claimed that the JIT letter was peculiar and not in accordance with the law as it was attained from a private firm.

While referring to Mossack Fonseca, Maryam said that the court could not base its verdict on the letter as the defense never got to cross examine the witness who wrote the letter thus the court cannot be dependent on the letter as it may reflect biasness on the trial’s verdict.

Responding to Maryam’s claims, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor said that the defense could summon the witness any time for cross examination.

The defense claimed that the documents presented by the prosecution were inadmissible as evidence as they are irrelevant to the indictment.

Furthermore, Maryam informed the court that she was not the beneficial owner of the flats nor did she take advantage of Nielsen and Nescol offshore companies. PML-N leader added that she had no links with Capital FZE, nor did the documents concern her. She added that the documents were submitted to delibrately include her name into Capital FZE with a despicable purpose.

Earlier on Thursday, Maryam had started recording her statement and has submitted her response to 82 of the 128 questions of the accountability court.

Previously, on Friday’s hearing Maryam had informed the court that the Avenfield properties are owned by her brother Hussain Nawaz. She added that Hussain is also the beneficial owner of Nielsen and Nescol, British Virgin Islands offshore companies.

During the hearing Maryam had also raised objections on the Joint Investigation Team’s (JIT) intitaion of inquiry on its own by reaching out to IT expert Robert Radley. She had argued that Radley’s facts are valueless and are based on ill-intent as the original trust deed was with the Supreme Court (SC).

Maryam had asserted that the JIT reaching out to Radley with photocopies was rather peculiar as no forensic examination can be made over scanned copies and is deemed unacceptable.

Sharif and family have been under trial for corruption in Avenfield properties, Flagship Investments and Al Azizia Steel Mills supplementary refernce cases filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).