ISLAMABAD: An accountability court will resume hearing into the Flagship Investment Reference and Al-Azizia Steel Mills case against former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, today (Wednesday), ARY News reported.
The former PM is likely to appear before the court for another day today. The court had reserved its verdict yesterday whether prosecution lawyer or defence counsel will present the final arguments in the Al-Azizia case
Khawaja Haris, counsel of Nawaz Sharif, will continue cross-examination of the investigation officer, Muhammad Kamran.
Judge Accountability Court Arshad Malik presided over hearing on Al-Azizia and Flagship references yesterday and Sharif appeared before the court to attend proceedings on the two references. Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was also present in the court to express solidarity with Nawaz Sharif.
The court had given 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.
