Flagship Reference: Court grants NAB plea to add new documents in record

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Friday approved an application of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to add the newly received documents on case record during hearing of the Flagship corruption reference against former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif.

The court granted the NAB plea to produce the new documents received under the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) after defence counsel Khawaja Haris and NAB Prosecutor completed their arguments on the matter.

The NAB had earlier filed an application in the court that it has received details under the MLA and pleaded to make it part of the case record.

The defence had opposed the application from NAB during the statement of the investigation officer.

The court also accepted the request of defence lawyer seeking questionnaire to be answered by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia reference.

The court will provide initially 50 questions to Nawaz Sharif, who will record his statement as an accused in the reference under section 342 on Monday.

Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau’s Investigation Officer Muhammad Kamran continued his statement on the fourth consecutive day in the court hearing being presided over by Accountability Judge Arshad Malik.

Defence Counsel Khawaja Haris filed a plea in the court that his client Nawaz Sharif could not appear in the court hearing due to security concerns.

The court granted exemption to Nawaz Sharif for today.

In the court hearing on Thursday NAB investigation officer Muhammad Kamran provided details of the companies owned by Nawaz Sharif’s son Hassan Nawaz. The NAB official said that 17 flats and 18 companies have been owned by Hassan Nawaz.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court had granted extension to the Accountability Court to complete the trial of Al-Azizia and Flagship corruption references against Nawaz Sharif upto November 17.