ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif on Thursday gave a 24-hour ultimatum to National Accounta­bility Bureau (NAB) chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal to either produce evidence about the allegation that he sent $4.9billion to India or resign and tender an apology to the nation.

Addressing a press conference at Punjab House on Thursday, Mr Sharif said that the baseless inquiry into the money laundering charges had not only damaged his (Mr Sharif’s) reputation but was also harmful to national interest.

“Both NAB and its chairman have lost their credibility which is evident by the recent inquiry,” he said, adding the anti-graft body and its chief paid no heed to their responsibilities and had started a character assassination campaign of the PML-N leadership, including himself.

The justification NAB had offered for launching the inquiry into alleged money laundering of $4.9billion to India by him to strengthen India’s foreign reserves was the worst of its kind, said the former prime minister.

Says allegations of sending money to India have damaged his reputation and are also harmful to national interest

In order to justify the inquiry, NAB had referred to a column by a little-known columnist which was published in a local newspaper some four months ago, he said.

“NAB never bothered to contact the columnist and officials of the World Bank or the State Bank of Pakistan before releasing information on this sensitive issue. This is a clear example of NAB’s biased approach towards the PML-N and I have been continuously pointing it out for the last several months,” said Mr Sharif.

Responding to a question, he said that khalai makhlooq (aliens) were continuously threatening some members of the PML-N asking them to either contest elections as independent candidates or from the platform of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) or face NAB references, adding that those issuing threats did not belong to the bureau.

He said that the next elections would be a contest between khalai makhlooq and zameeni makhlooq and “I am sure zameeni makhlooq will win”.

Replying to another question about the extension in the deadline by the Supreme Court for adjudication of corruption references against him and his family members, Mr Sharif said that they would keep on extending deadlines “unless they fabricate something against me”. At this Maryam Nawaz while referring to allegation of $4.9bn money laundering, said that an attempt had been made to fabricate something against Mr Sharif.

Earlier before the proceeding in the accountability court, Mr Sharif expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for raising the issue of NAB’s latest inquiry in parliament.

Commenting on the visit of Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar to an institute of mental health in Peshawar where expressing displeasure over lack of cleanliness in the kitchen, he had cast away utensils, Mr Sharif asked who had authorised the CJP to take such an action.

PTI’s response

PTI information secretary Fawad Chaudhry said that Mr Sharif himself appointed head of institutions and then launched campaigns against them.

The NAB chairman was also appointed by the PML-N and they were expecting him to act in a subservient manner, though a head of institution was supposed to protect national interest, he said.

He said that Mr Sharif had accused the PTI of being in league with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), but in fact appointments of heads of different institutions had been made by the PML-N and PPP with consensus.

Court proceedings

Star prosecution witness Wajid Zia on Thursday recorded his statement in Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment reference in the accountability court.

Mr Zia, the chief of a six-member joint investigation team (JIT) the Supreme Court had constituted to probe the Panama Papers leaks, produced some documents related to the companies.

The documents included the statements Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz had submitted before the Supreme Court. The statements were made part of the judicial record by the accountability court at which the counsel for Nawaz Sharif , Khawaja Haris, raised an objection. He argued that since Ms Maryam was not an accused in the Al-Azizia reference while Mr Hussain and Mr Hassan were not present in the court, the statements could not be made part of the judicial record.

Mr Zia also submitted share sale agreements of the Gulf Steel Mills of 1975 and 1980, the partnership agreement between Tariq Shafi and Abdullah Kayed Ahli, a letter of credit issued by a Dubai-based bank and record of bank accounts of Nawaz Sharif.

Mr Sharif’s counsel raised multiple objections over the documents.

Mr Zia also submitted an audit report of the Al-Dar audit bureau from 2010 to 2015. He said that the report was also submitted by Hussain Nawaz and it was mistakenly written on the document that it was a ‘source’ document.

Mr Zia also provided details how the JIT wrote a letter to Qatari prince Hamad bin Jassim and how it received a letter from him. He produced the letter as well at which Mr Haris raised an objection that it was a photocopy and not original.

At the outset, Mr Zia told the accountability court how the JIT was formed following the apex court’s order of April 20, 2017.

In response to the questions the Supreme Court had framed for the JIT, the investigation team conducted an investigation to determine whether Mr Sharif was the real owner or benamidar of the assets in question, he said.

It was also discussed in the court whether or not to record statements of the accused persons in the Avenfield Apartments reference. The NAB prosecutor said that the defence had not yet disclosed the witnesses it wanted to produce in court. We would have to make preparations in case they also produced some witnesses, NAB prosecutor said.

Accountability court Judge Mohammad Bashir adjourned the proceedings till Friday (today).

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2018