Accountability court hears Flagship Reference against Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, appeared before the accountability court today (Tuesday) in a Flagship Investment Reference hearing, ARY News reported.

It is expected that prosecution and lawyer of Mr. Sharif may furnish conclusive arguments in the Al-Azizia reference as well.

Khawaja Haris, counsel of the ex-PM, resumed cross examinination NAB investigation officer, Muhammad Kamran.

The court put over 120 questions to Mr Sharif in the Avenfield properties reference and 151 in the Al-Azizia reference. The former prime minister has so far responded to 148 of the 151 questions.

Nawaz Sharif, during last hearing of the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case on Nov 22, told the accountability court that the prosecution had failed to prove charges against him.

The ex-PM said he had decided against defending charges framed against him in the case by NAB. “I am not putting forward anything in my defence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference,” he told the court.

The former PM accused Panama Papers joint investigation team head Wajid Zia of falsely implicating him in the probe ‘based on hearsay’.

On November 19, the Supreme Court gave three weeks to the accountability court to wrap up graft references against Nawaz Sharif.

The apex court issued the order in response to a request submitted by the accountability court seeking another extension to wind up Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment references against Nawaz Sharif.