NAB was ordered to file references against Nawaz, his children Hussain, Hasan, and Maryam, son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar and Dar

 

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Court will file four references against Sharif family and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the accountability courts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi today.

In light of the Supreme Court's July 28 decision on Panama case, NAB will file three corruption references against members of the Sharif family and one against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Sharif family and Dar can face up to 14 years imprisonment, heavy fine, and freezing of property if the accountability court accepts that a violation of Section 9 of the NAB Ordinance 1999 has been done as suggested in the report of the Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

After the Supreme Court announced the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister on July 28, NAB was ordered to file references against Nawaz, his children Hussain, Hasan, and Maryam, son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar and Dar. The accountability bureau was given six weeks, from the date of the court's order, to file the reference in an accountability court.

NAB finalises four references against Sharif family, Ishaq Dar

The Supreme Court, in the Panama Papers case verdict, had given NAB six weeks to finalise the cases and submit them in accountability courts

NAB's Rawalpindi branch prepared references regarding the Azizia Steel Mills and the nearly dozen companies owned by the Sharif family. The Bureau's Lahore branch prepared a reference on the Sharif family's Avenfield apartments in London and another against Dar for owning assets beyond his known sources of income.

Sources said NAB has decided not to file the Hudaibia Paper Mills case as the apex court's order regarding it is unclear and has sought legal assistance over the matter.

Meanwhile, NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry rejected recommendations by the Bureau's regional chiefs in Rawalpindi and Lahore to freeze assets of Sharif family members and Dar, sources told Geo News.

Chaudhry also rejected the recommendation to add the names of Sharif, Hasan, Hussain, and Dar on the Exit Control List (ECL).

References

A reference against Nawaz, Maryam, Hussain, Hasan and Capt (retd) Safdar, relating to the Avenfield properties (flats 16, 16-A, 17 and 17-A Avenfield House, Park Lane, London, United Kingdom), has been directed to be filed by NAB. "In preparing and filing this Reference, the NAB shall also consider the material already collected during the course of investigations conducted earlier, as indicated in the detailed judgments," the court ruled.

The court also ordered the filing of a reference against respondents Nawaz, Hussain, and Hasan regarding Azizia Steel Company and Hill Metal Establishment.

A reference was ordered against Dar possessing assets and funds beyond his known sources of income, "as discussed in paragraph 9 of the judgment".

The court also ordered NAB to include in its proceedings all other persons including Sheikh Saeed, [nephew of Dar?s wife] Musa Ghani, [son of a retired officer from London Stock Exchange] Kashif Masood Qazi, [Nawaz?s friend] Javaid Kiyani and [National Bank of Pakistan President] Saeed Ahmed, who have any direct or indirect nexus or connection with the actions of Nawaz, Hussain, Hasan, Maryam and Dar, leading to acquisition of assets and funds beyond their known sources of income.

A reference was also ordered against Nawaz, Hussain, and Hasan regarding the companies mentioned in paragraph nine of the judgment.

The bench also gave NAB the option to file supplementary reference(s) "if and when any other asset, which is not prima facie reasonably accounted for, is discovered".