Avenfield case: Khawaja Haris raises objections on JIT's report

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's counsel Khawaja Haris on Thursday raised objections on the joint investigation team's (JIT) report in his concluding arguments. Accountability Court Islamabad has resumed hearing of Avenfield reference against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members. Judge Muhammad Bashir is hearing the case. Khawaja Haris, the counsel of Nawaz Sharif, is submitting his concluding arguments on consecutive second day. During the hearing, Haris informed the court that the Panama case joint investigation team (JIT) was formed as an investigative body. He objected that JIT's head Wajid Zia included those things in the report which were not linked with the case. khawaja Haris said that there are some unresolved issues mentioned in the report, however, the court has to decide after the complete debate on these issues. He argued that the opinion consisted in the investigative report so this should not be taken as acceptable testimony. Responding to the counsel's objections to the JIT report, the judge remarked that Haris should have objected to specific portions of the report instead of the overall document. Earlier on Wednesday, in his arguments, Haris asserted that Nawaz did not accep ownership of the London properties. He further said that the burden of proof lies on the prosecution. "Here the prosecution has put the burden of the proof on the defence". Nawaz and Maryam were on Tuesday granted a four-day exemption from appearing in court. The former premier and his daughter are in London to tend to Nawaz's wife Begum Kulsoom who is in a critical condition there.