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JIT head also says no evidence found showing ex-PM benefitted from Gulf Steel sale proceeds
ISLAMABAD - The key prosecution witness Wednesday admitted before the accountability court that there is no documentary evidence to prove that Nawaz Sharif himself owns London flats or he has any link to the offshore companies holding the flats.
Wajid Zia, the head of the joint investigating team that probed Sharif family’s business dealings abroad in Panama papers case, appeared before the court to record his testimony and was cross-examined by defence counsel Khawaja Haris.
“Is any document available which can prove Nawaz Sharif the owner of the Avenfield properties?” Haris asked. The reply from Zia was in negative.
“Has Nawaz Sharif ever remained the owner of these properties?” the lawyer asked. JIT chief’s reply was “no”.
Zia also replied in negative when asked if any institution ever correspond with the JIT to declared Nawaz the owner of London properties.
The star NAB witness said that he had not seen any document establishing ownership of Avenfield apartments with the former prime minister.
Also, Sharif could not be established as the beneficial owner of Nielson and Nescoll, the offshore companies holding these apartments, he added.
Moreover, there was no document or bank transaction that showed that the ex-PM had paid the rent or utility bills of the properties in question, Zia admitted.
JIT head also said that the letter by Mossack Fonseca – the legal firm at the centre of the Panama Papers scandal – regarding Nielson and Nescoll did not prove Sharif was the beneficial owner of the two offshore companies.
To a query of defence counsel Wajid Zia said that as Mossack Fonseca was a private law firm they had not engaged in direct correspondence with it and all the correspondence was done with British Virgin Island Attorney General Office.
He said that he was not in knowledge on whose direction FIA correspondence with British Virgin Island was made in 2012. At that time Pakistan Peoples Party was in power and FIA was under the command of the then interior minister Rehman Malik.
JIT chief said that at the time of Avienfield properties’ purchase no transaction was made from any account belonging to Nawaz Sharif while there was also no evidence that he ever remained the beneficial owner of these properties.
He further informed that Avenfield apartments were purchased by Nielson and Nescoll companies during 1993 to 1995 but there was not documentary evidence of Nawaz Sharif’s linkage to it.
Steel Mills
The court was told that Al-Azizia Steel was established by Mian Muhammad Sharif late and was transferred to Hussain Nawaz, Rabia Sharif and Abbas Sharif (late). JIT could not find any evidence that late Abbas Sharif and Rabia Sharif ever participated in the business or received any profits from Al-Azizia Steel and that JIT never issued any notices to Rabia Sharif or heirs of Abbas Sharif.
Regarding transfer of money from the sales proceeds of Gulf Steel, Wajid Zia said that there is no evidence that the money benefitted Mian Nawaz Sharif and that even the letters from Al-Thani Family do not mention that Nawaz Sharif benefitted from the money they returned.
https://nation.com.pk/29-Mar-2018/no-proof-nawaz-ever-owned-london-flats-zia
ISLAMABAD - The key prosecution witness Wednesday admitted before the accountability court that there is no documentary evidence to prove that Nawaz Sharif himself owns London flats or he has any link to the offshore companies holding the flats.
Wajid Zia, the head of the joint investigating team that probed Sharif family’s business dealings abroad in Panama papers case, appeared before the court to record his testimony and was cross-examined by defence counsel Khawaja Haris.
“Is any document available which can prove Nawaz Sharif the owner of the Avenfield properties?” Haris asked. The reply from Zia was in negative.
“Has Nawaz Sharif ever remained the owner of these properties?” the lawyer asked. JIT chief’s reply was “no”.
Zia also replied in negative when asked if any institution ever correspond with the JIT to declared Nawaz the owner of London properties.
The star NAB witness said that he had not seen any document establishing ownership of Avenfield apartments with the former prime minister.
Also, Sharif could not be established as the beneficial owner of Nielson and Nescoll, the offshore companies holding these apartments, he added.
Moreover, there was no document or bank transaction that showed that the ex-PM had paid the rent or utility bills of the properties in question, Zia admitted.
JIT head also said that the letter by Mossack Fonseca – the legal firm at the centre of the Panama Papers scandal – regarding Nielson and Nescoll did not prove Sharif was the beneficial owner of the two offshore companies.
To a query of defence counsel Wajid Zia said that as Mossack Fonseca was a private law firm they had not engaged in direct correspondence with it and all the correspondence was done with British Virgin Island Attorney General Office.
He said that he was not in knowledge on whose direction FIA correspondence with British Virgin Island was made in 2012. At that time Pakistan Peoples Party was in power and FIA was under the command of the then interior minister Rehman Malik.
JIT chief said that at the time of Avienfield properties’ purchase no transaction was made from any account belonging to Nawaz Sharif while there was also no evidence that he ever remained the beneficial owner of these properties.
He further informed that Avenfield apartments were purchased by Nielson and Nescoll companies during 1993 to 1995 but there was not documentary evidence of Nawaz Sharif’s linkage to it.
Steel Mills
The court was told that Al-Azizia Steel was established by Mian Muhammad Sharif late and was transferred to Hussain Nawaz, Rabia Sharif and Abbas Sharif (late). JIT could not find any evidence that late Abbas Sharif and Rabia Sharif ever participated in the business or received any profits from Al-Azizia Steel and that JIT never issued any notices to Rabia Sharif or heirs of Abbas Sharif.
Regarding transfer of money from the sales proceeds of Gulf Steel, Wajid Zia said that there is no evidence that the money benefitted Mian Nawaz Sharif and that even the letters from Al-Thani Family do not mention that Nawaz Sharif benefitted from the money they returned.
https://nation.com.pk/29-Mar-2018/no-proof-nawaz-ever-owned-london-flats-zia
