Wajid Zia submits documentary evidence in Flagship reference against Nawaz Sharif

[HAIDER]

National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) key witness, Wajid Zia, on Tuesday submitted documents gathered by the Panamagate joint investigation team (JIT) as evidence in the Flagship Investments corruption reference against former premier Nawaz Sharif.

Zia, who was the head of the Panamagate JIT, appeared before an accountability court today to continue recording his testimony in the case. He submitted the financial statements of Flagship Investments dating from 2002 to 2016. He also presented letters from Qatari royal Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani which, he claimed, were sent to the JIT by Director of the Foreign Secretary's Office Afaq Ahmed. The letter also held the Qatari prince's seal.

Sharif's counsel, Khawaja Haris, objected to the submission of the letter and said that Ahmed had appeared before the court but had not submitted the letter.

During the hearing, Accountability Judge Arshad Malik said that Zia should make a list of the documents that he wished to submit in court as evidence and give it to Haris in a portable hard drive so that Sharif's counsel could note its objections and submit them in court, saving time.

Haris said Zia could give him the list on Wednesday.

Sharif, who appeared before court for the hearing today, was allowed to leave midway through the hearing.

According to the charge-sheet against the former premier, Sharif had told the JIT that he was a shareholder in 15 companies, including Flagship Investments, Hartstone Properties, Que Holdings, Quint Eaton Place 2, Quint Saloane, Quaint, Flagship Securities, Quint Gloucester Place, Quint Paddington, Flagship Developments, Alanna Services (BVI), Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron, Ansbacher, Coomber and Capital FZE, Dubai.

The court was told that his sons, Hassan and Hussain were his dependents in 1989 and 1990. However, Sharif, submitted a record of assets for Hassan from 1990-1995, the charge-sheet read.

Sharif was indicted in the corruption case last year.