Nawaz decides against presenting his defense in Al-Azizia reference

ISLAMABAD:(Net News/Media 92 News) Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been recording his statement in the Al-Azizia corruption reference against him under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code, on Thursday refused to present arguments in his defense.

Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik has been hearing the Al-Azizia reference.

During today’s hearing, the former premier while recording his statement said, “I am not going to present my defense in the Al-Azizia Steel Mill reference. A case was formed against me on the basis of allegations levelled by my political opponents and the prosecution has failed to prove the allegations against me.”

“I am neither the real owner nor a benamidaar of Al-Azizia Steel Mill or Hill Metal Establishment. The prosecution could not present any evidence against me in this regard,” he added. The former premier continued, “I did not send any money from Pakistan to my sons for foreign education, living or business.”

“NAB did not present any such evidence ascertaining that I established Al-Azizia Steel Mill or Hill Metal Establishment. The prosecution also failed to present evidence proving that I was the guardian of Hasan and Hussain Nawaz and that they were benamidaars. They also failed to prove indictment charges against me,” Nawaz said.

Further, the former premier stated, “This case was formed on the basis of allegations levelled by my political opponents and a one-sided report of the joint investigation team (JIT). The JIT report incorrectly showed me as the owner of Al-Azizia Steel Mill and Hill Metal Establishment and even the Supreme Court bench was not fully satisfied with the report. The top court sent the matter to the trial court so there are no doubts.”

“Except for JIT head Wajid Zia and the investigation officer, no other witness gave statements against me. Their statements are not acceptable testimonies, however, they had both accepted that there were no documents to prove that I was the owner of Al-Azizia Steel Mill and Hill Metal Establishment,” Nawaz added.

Al-Azizia Steel Mill was established by my father in 2001 and Hussain Nawaz was 29 years old at that time, he shared.

The trial
The trial against the Sharif family commenced on September 14, 2017.

On July 6, after four extensions in the original six-month deadline to conclude all three cases, the court announced its verdict in the Avenfield reference.

Nawaz and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references whereas Maryam and Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only.

The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court.

On July 10, the Supreme Court granted another six-week extension for Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir to conclude the remaining corruption references against Nawaz and former finance minister Ishaq Dar.