Nawaz distances himself from money trail worksheet

Deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday told the Accountability Court that neither he has been involved in any transaction with the Qatari family nor was he involved in the preparation of worksheet which was filed by the Sharif family in the Supreme Court for establishment of money trail.
Sharif while recording his statement before Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir in the Avenfield reference said that it is evident from the evidence available on record that he had never been associated with or involved in any transaction pertaining to any matter related to Qatar or in the preparation of the worksheet sent by the Qatari Prince on December 22, 2016. The worksheet was submitted by Sharif's son along with their civil miscellaneous application in the Supreme Court to prove the money trail.
"I was never involved or associated with any transaction event or correspondence related to Qatar or the Qatari," he said, adding that Qatari Prince Hamad bin Jasim bin Jaber al Thani never avoided joining proceedings of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Panama Papers case and he had shown willingness to record his statement.
Sharif said that the letters were verified by the Prince himself in a letter written to the Supreme Court. The JIT made no serious effort to record the statement of the Qatari prince despite his willingness to record it, he said.
Sharif accused Zia of falsely stating in his report that the Qatari prince did not join the investigation.
He said that he has neither filed any civil miscellaneous application nor the declaration of Coomber Company. "I have never ever been involved or associated with this declaration of trust any mean," Sharif further said, adding he has never been involved or associated with preparation, drawing, executing or handing over of the trust deeds of two companies Nielsen and Nescoll that hold the Avenfield properties, he said.
To a question related to the letters from Jeremy Freeman in January 2017, Sharif said Freeman's letters confirm the trust deed of the property. Freeman also attested the Coomber Group and Neilson and Nescoll trust deeds, he added. Freeman had a copy of the trust deeds in his office, but no one including Akhtar Raja and any JIT member tried to obtain it, he said.
He said that Raja arranged a two-and-a-half-hour meeting of a three-member NAB team with forensic expert Robert Radley to discuss exclusively the question of Calibri font a day before Radley's proposition via a video link.
Sharif said that Radley was hired to authenticate the trust deeds and documents gathered by the investigation team. However, Sharif claimed that photocopies cannot be authenticated. Raja also emailed all the documents to Radley, he should have known that there is no concept of forensic examination of documents of which only photocopies are available. He said that Radley report holds no significance as it is based on emailed photocopies of trust deeds.
To a question, he said that he had attended inauguration ceremony of Dubai Steel Mills but has no knowledge of any of the event and transaction related to any of the matter. "I have seen copies of these agreements. However, I was never participating in any event and do not have personal knowledge."
The former premier said that the entire statement of Zia was based on his opinion and inferences, and that the conclusion drawn by him and the JIT was inadmissible. Zia misled the UAE authorities instead of seeking information regarding transportation of machinery from Dubai to Saudi Arabia.
Responding to a question regarding Capital FZE, the company where he was working as chairman, he said that all these documents are irrelevant. He was never the owner, director or shareholder of Capital FZE, he said, adding that he was never affiliated with the business dealings of the company.
Replying to a question regarding both of his sons Hussain Nawaz and Hasan Nawaz who are absconders, he said that both of his sons are independent and answerable to their own acts.
Regarding a UAE Justice Ministry letter, he said that he was unaware that the letter came in response to any mutual legal assistance (MLA). The letter was never presented as evidence in court, therefore, it cannot be used as proof, he added.
He further said that the 2012 Mosaic Fonseca letter presented by Zia cannot be used as a primary document, adding that the letter could not be certified as per the customary laws.
To a question about letter of Financial Investigation Agency (FIA) produced by Zia, he said the letter is no admissible evidence being attested copy of a copy.
He said that the letter produced by Zia relating to Nescoll Limited and Nielsen Enterprises addressed to FIA does not relate to him. The letter is not admissible being attested copy of a copy, he said.
Sharif said that he had no concern with, nor has any personal knowledge of any compromise effected by Hudabiya Paper Mills and Al-Taufeeq Company entered into compromise or any consent order.
To a question about an affidavit of Shazi Naqvi, he said that the affidavit is correctly reflecting his stated position that he had no concern or involvement in any transaction related to purported obtaining of loan by Hudaibiya Papers Mills and ending with its purported settlement.
He said that he has never been involved or associated in any means with share sale agreement of 25 percent sale of Ahli Steel Mill in 1980. He was neither involved nor associated with AED12 million from Ahli Steel Mill or they were deposited by Tariq Shafi with Fahad bin Jasim Al-Thani.
Earlier, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi objected to the way Sharif was recording his statement. The accused should record his statement and he can take help from his counsel on certain legal points, he said, adding that this is no way that a story written in six days is being read out loudly. He said that recording of statement in such a way under section 342 is against the law.
To this judge asked the NAB deputy prosecutor general what he wants to say. "My objections should be made part of court records," he said.
The judge also asked from accused Sharif, "Did you own whatever Khawaja Haris stated?"
To this, Sharif said that he owns this statement. "I prepared the statement along with my counsel Harris," said Sharif, adding that his throat hurts if he reads for long. "This is why I asked Haris to read my statement," he said.
He said if NAB has a problem with it then why they not raised objections during Monday's hearing. After the objections from NAB prosecutor, Sharif started reading the statement himself.
Till rising of the court, Sharif responded to 123 questions out of the list of 128. The court adjourned hearing till today (Wednesday) and Sharif will continue recording his statement.