None of the accused summoned by the accountability court in Panama Papers references, namely former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and son-in-law as well as Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, is currently in the country to appear before the court. The accountability court had summoned Nawaz Sharif, his three children - Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz - and his son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar today (Tuesday) while Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday in the Panama Papers references filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the orders of Supreme Court's July 28 judgement.

But all the accused summoned by the accountability court are in London to inquire after an ailing Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The sources said that Dar would also accompany Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to New York to attend the UN General Assembly session.

The three references filed against Nawaz Sharif and his family include: a) a reference relating to the Avenfield Properties (Flat No. 16 and 16-A, 17 and 17-A, Avenfield House, Park Lane, London, United Kingdom); b) a reference relating to establishment of Azizia Steel Company and Hill Metals Company, Jeddah; c) and the third reference is about the establishment of companies including Flagship Investment Ltd, Hartstone Properties Ltd, Que Holdings Ltd, Quint Eaton Place 2 Ltd, Quint Saloane Ltd, Quaint Ltd, Flagship Securities Ltd, Quint Gloucestor Place Ltd, Quint Paddington Ltd, Flagship Developments Ltd, Alanna Services Ltd, Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron Inc, Ansbacher Inc, Coomber Inc and Capital FZE (Dubai). The NAB had also filed a reference against Ishaq Dar for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017