Nawaz not associated with business of Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Zia tells court

ISLAMABAD: NAB’s prosecution witness and JIT head Wajid Zia Thursday admitted before the accountability court that the team did not find any evidence proving Nawaz Sharif as owner of Al-Azizia Steel Mills.

The joint investigation team (JIT) even did not find any document during its investigation that proved the money was transferred from Pakistan to purchase the steel mills, he said during cross examination in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference.

Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir conducted hearing of reference filed by NAB against Sharif family members. Former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt. (retd) Muhammad Safdar appeared before the court.

As the hearing began, the defense counsel Khawaja Haris started cross-examination with JIT head Wajid Zia.

In response of a question, Zia said Hussain Nawaz had gifted an amount of worth $1.15 million to his father Nawaz Sharif from July 5, 2010, to June 30, 2011. He said this money had been in foreign currency account till October 8, 2012. He, however, said that Nawaz Sharif disclosed this amount in wealth statement in Pakistani currency.

The witness said that team did not find any document showing that Nawaz Sharif had been involved in any business deal of steel mill or remained shareholder of it.

He, however, said Shehbaz Sharif had informed the JIT that Hussein Nawaz had been the shareholder of Al-Azizia Steel Mills on behalf of his father. He said Mian Sharif established this steel mill, and transferred its ownership to Abbas Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Hussein Nawaz.

Later, the court adjourned hearing of the case till tomorrow, wherein Haris would continue cross examining Wajid Zia.

Zia, who is appearing before the court of accountability judge Muhammad Bashir, has already recorded his statement in both Avenfield and Al-Azizia references against the Sharif family.