Al-Azizia case: Defence lawyer presents final arguments

ISLAMABAD: The counsel of former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, started presenting final arguments in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills Reference in the accountability court today (Tuesday), ARY News reported.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor also continued his arguments in the case.

Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris furnished arguments in defence of his client during the hearing today.

The NAB prosecutor on Dec 3 informed the court that there was a contradiction between two letters of Qatari prince provided in the case.

He said the government proposed to record statement of Qatari prince but he didn’t come to Pakistan. He was of the view that inspection of one the letters revealed that two million dirham were never sent to Qatar for Avenfield flats.

Judge Arshad Malik said Khwaja Haris, counsel of former PM, will give response in this regard. “Does letters from Qatar hold any importance if the witness didn’t come to Pakistan,” the judge asked.

The NAB counsel said the name of Hussain Nawaz was mentioned in sale documents of Al-Azizia Steel Mills. He claimed that no explanation was given regarding setting up of Al-Azizia and the record was deliberately kept under wraps.

On Nov 29, the court had directed the counsel of NAB to furnish final arguments in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference against Sharif. The accountability court had also given a questionnaire to the former PM under section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, to seek his answers. NAB prosecutor, Wasiq Malik, during his arguments, said the accused persons were given ample chance before the JIT, Supreme Court and the NAB to defend the charges, but their proofs turned out to be false, he claimed.

The court had given over 120 questions to Mr Sharif in the Avenfield properties reference and 151 in the Al-Azizia reference.

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