While responding to a question about his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman and reports of a possible NRO type deal to give the Sharif family any relief in the ongoing cases, Nawaz Sharif rejected speculations, saying there was nothing "extraordinary" about his recent visit to Saudi Arabia. He said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have brotherly relations since sub-continent's Partition and these relations are strengthening with each passing day.
He said those who are spreading such rumors have done no injustice with him but with the nation. According to him, such rumours are aimed at harming bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia. About corruption references filed against him and his family by National Accountability Bureau (NAB), he wondered what charge of misappropriation exists against him which has not been discovered yet. He further said that efforts are being made to "discover" same evidence against him to substantiate the allegations, but so far no evidence has been found against him.
"I was disqualified only on the basis of an Iqama while PTI Chairman Imran Khan who confessed to his crime was declared Sadiq (truthful) and Ameem (trustworthy) by the court," the former prime minister said, adding that Khan took the advantage of amnesty. He further said the court told Khan, "We believe you are innocent; therefore, do not confess to your crime as it will damage our position."
"If you [Imran Khan] had not committed any crime then why you sought an apology," he asked Imran Khan, adding that he never sought apology and was removed on the basis of an Iqama. Earlier, Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain Muhammad Safdar (retd) appeared before the Accountability Court in connection with three references filed against them by the NAB.
During the hearing, Accountability Court judge Muhammad Bashir recorded the statements of prosecution witnesses Assistant Director NAB Lahore Zawar Manzoor and Inland Revenue officer Muhammad Taleem Khan while defense lawyer Khawaja Haris cross-examined them. Muhammad Taleem Khan told the court that he appeared before NAB Rawalpindi on the directions of Commissioner Inland Revenue Fiza Batool and provided income and wealth tax record of Nawaz Sharif and his children to the concerned officer.
He further said that NAB officer Kamran and Mehboob Alam recorded the statement of Jahangir Ahmed, an official of Inland Revenue department, in his presence. "He also provided the original copies of the documents which he provided to the NAB officials," he said. However, the investigation officer after reviewing those documents returned them to Jahangir Ahmed.
Khan said the documents provided to NAB had been verified by the Commissioner Inland Revenue Fiza Batool. Zawar Manzoor told the court that Yasir Shabir had provided the record of different transactions of Nawaz Sharif's accounts while Sidra Manzoor provided the record of Hudaibiya Paper Mills case. Manzoor further said the statements of witnesses Muhammad Rasheed and Mazhar Raza Khan were recorded in his presence. The court summoned six more witnesses during the next hearing which will be held on January 9.