NAB files supplementary reference against Sharif family

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has on Monday filed a supplementary reference in the accountability court against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and four others over London flats. The anti-graft watchdog has included seven new witnesses in the reference, while two witnesses belonged to Britain. The Bureau told the court that it has recorded initial statements from the witnesses based in 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. A team from NAB had collected "more" evidence from the United Kingdom (UK) against Nawaz Sharif to probe into his alleged ownership of Flagship Investments. A joint investigation team (JIT) - formed by Pakistan's Supreme Court - had hired services of a UK-based solicitor firm, Quist, along with an investigative company to assist in the collection and dispatch of all relevant documents of the said case. Two weeks ago, another NAB team visited London and sought details of his and his family's properties, their bank accounts and tax returns. Pakistan's Supreme Court disqualified Sharif as Prime Minister after an inquiry into the 2016 Panama Papers linked his family to offshore companies. A five-member bench of the Supreme Court, on July 28, had directed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file references against Sharif and his three children.