ISLAMABAD: Wajid Zia, head of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed by the Supreme Court to probe money laundering allegations against the Sharif family, is the only material witness in three references against ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his children, a defence counsel told the accountability court on Tuesday.

Amjad Pervez Malik, counsel for Maryam Nawaz Sharif and her spouse retired Captain Mohammad Safdar, argued before the accountability court that Mr Zia was the main prosecution witness in all three references; the Avenfield Properties case, the Flagship Investment Co et al reference and the Al-Azizia Mills matter.

“The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has listed about a dozen prosecution witnesses in each of these cases, but the investigation officer is the only material witness in all references,” Advocate Malik said.

The counsel was arguing on an application seeking the adjournment of proceedings until the announcement of the judgement, reserved by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the on clubbing of references against Mr Sharif.

Sharifs’ counsel seeks adjournment until IHC announces verdict on clubbing of references against former PM

On Tuesday, Advocate Malik argued that since the IHC could announce a detailed judgement on the clubbing of all three references, proceeding should be adjourned until next week.

The prosecution, on the other hand opposed any adjournment, pointing out that the IHC did not pass any restraining order and the accountability court could continue the trial and record the testimony of the witnesses.

NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi said that two prosecution witnesses were ready to testify.

The defence counsel, however, maintained that in case the IHC rejected the plea to club the references, the accountability court may conduct proceedings for two or three consecutive days.

He said while the other witnesses were custodians of the relevant record, none of them was a ‘direct witness, except for Mr Zia.

The Supreme Court had constituted the six-member JIT, led by Mr Zia and consisting of officials from NAB, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), State Bank of Pakistan and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan to probe money laundering allegations against the Sharifs.

After receiving the team’s report, a five-member bench of the apex court had disqualified Mr Sharif for not declaring his unclaimed salary from Capital FZE and also directed NAB to prepare three references against the Sharifs, and one against Ishaq Dar.

Subsequently, NAB filed the references before an accountability court in Islamabad.

Mr Sharif’s earlier application before the accountability court, seeking the clubbing of all three references was rejected. The former PM then filed an appeal against the dismissal of his application before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

A two-member IHC division bench, after hearing arguments from the Sharifs’ counsel and NAB prosecutors, reserved judgement last week, which is likely to be announced sometime this week.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2017