Avenfield Case: NAB deputy prosecutor reaches London

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The head of National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) prosecution team against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members in case related to Avenfield properties on Tuesday reached London. NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar reached London on official visit. The statements of two prosecution witnesses will be recorded through video link in the presence of the anti-graft watchdog’s Deputy Prosecutor General. On January 30, an accountability court (AC) had dismissed the objections raised by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on the supplementary reference filed against him and his family in the accountability court by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over London flats. On January 22, the NAB had filed a supplementary reference in the accountability court against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and four others over London flats. The anti-graft watchdog had also included seven new witnesses in the reference, while two witnesses belonged to Britain. Forensic expert Robert Radley and a close relative of Panama case Joint Investigative Team head, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director Wajid Zia, will be the witnesses in the case, while two prosecution witnesses belonged to Ministry of Information. The transcript of interviews of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz are also a part of the evidence. Previously, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed three cases of corruption and money laundering against Sharif, his family members and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the Islamabad Accountability Court following the verdict. The anti-graft body NAB had frozen the bank accounts and seized properties of Sharif and his family members to put pressure on them to appear before the court. The Sharifs have denied any wrongdoing and have labeled the corruption proceedings against them as politically motivated. Two of Nawaz’s sons are also due to appear before the NAB court, along with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. Nawaz was disqualified by the Supreme Court in July for not declaring a source of income that he disputes receiving. Pakistan’s top court also ordered a wide-ranging NAB investigation and trial into Sharif family members. The Supreme Court specified that the trial be concluded within six months by NAB, which has in the past been derided as toothless because rich and powerful politicians were seldom convicted.