Avenfield case: Maryam rebuffs beneficial ownership of London flats and companies

ISLAMABAD: Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif, completed her answer of 128 questions, asked by the prosecution in Avenfield reference, before the accountability court on Monday.

During hearing, Maryam testified before the court that she has never been the beneficial owner of London flats and other mentioned companies. “I was never involved in any financial profit or loss related to mentioned companies,” she claimed.

Moreover, she shared that she has nothing to do with 25% shares of Gulf Steel Mills, Al-Taufiq case, and settlement worth Rs12 million.

She said that the Capital FZE documents don’t concern her, adding that the documents were submitted with ‘despicable purposes’.

Maryam claimed that the letter submitted by Joint Investigation Team head Wajid Zia on July 3, 2017, and other by Mossack Fonseca dated June 22, 2012 as evidences against Sharif family cannot be made a part of court record.

While further blaming JIT head Wajid Zia of his ill-intent, she said “All the accusations of Wajid Zia against my family are based on his prejudice.”

“The way of presenting letter of July 3 by JIT is highly suspicious and not in accordance with the law as the letter was reportedly sent directly by Director Financial Agency to JIT. Moreover, the documents cited in the letter were never presented before the court,” Maryam claimed.

PML-N leader complained that she was deprived of the right to cross-examine the author of Mossack Fonseca letter. “I was denied the right to cross-examine the person who penned down the letter so that the content of the letter cannot be verified”, Maryam said while asserting that Mossack Fonseca letter is not the primary document in the case and relying on these letters will be against a transparent trial.

On a question related to the authenticity of Qatari letters of November 5, 2016 and December 22, 2016, she responded that the testimony of Wajid Zia as an investigation officer is not acceptable.

“The documents presented by prosecution cannot be accepted as evidence. These documents are unrelated for indictment,” she added.

Maryam, who started recording her statement on Thursday, has recorded her answer in 82 of the 128 questions asked by the court.

The Avenfield reference, pertaining to the Sharif family’s London properties, is among three references against the Sharif family filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last year on the Supreme Court’s directives.