ISLAMABAD: A former chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday testified before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing money laundering allegations against the family of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Retired Lt Gen Mohammad Amjad, who was appointed first chairman of NAB between 1999 and 2000 by former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf, appeared before the JIT at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) at 11am and remained with investigators for about an hour before leaving the premises.

Sources said the former NAB chief shared details of the Hudaibya Paper Mills, Ittefaq Foundries and Raiwind assets references, prepared by NAB against Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif and other members of his family.

The JIT also asked Lt Gen Amjad to verify details of loans obtained by the Sharif family from the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Habib Bank, United Bank, Muslim Commercial Bank, First Punjab Modarba, Bank of Punjab, Zarai Traqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), NIB (formerly PICIC) and ICBP.

Lt Gen Mohammad Amjad quizzed on various references filed against Sharif family over the years

According to the NAB report submitted to the JIT, the Sharif family defaulted on loans worth Rs3.8 billion from these financial institutions.

The sources said the JIT was in the process of winding up the probe by next week, after which it would finish compiling the final investigation report by the second week of July before it was submitted to the apex court by the July 10 deadline.

In this regard, the JIT is summoning members of the Sharif family once again: the PM’s cousin Tariq Shafi will appear on July 2, Hassan Nawaz on July 3, Hussain Nawaz on July 4, while the PM’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to appear before the JIT on July 5. Her husband, retired Capt Mohammad Safdar, has already appeared before the JIT on June 24.

The sources said the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had also provided details of Mr Shafi and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s tax returns to the JIT. The FBR claimed it had submitted “95pc” of the required details to the investigation team before the Eid holidays.

Last week, the JIT had complained to the Supreme Court that the FBR did not provide them the relevant records, after which the attorney general assured the apex court he would ensure the requisite details were provided.

Kalbe Ali adds: Separately, apropos the article ‘FIA goes ahead with SECP probe at brisk pace’, published in Dawn on Thursday, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has said that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has not obtained any office on SECP premises, and no deputy director was called by the FIA to answer any questions.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2017