Sharif also asked a journalist, "Can you understand this case?" The journalist replied that most of the witnesses replied during cross-examination that the documents they produced before the court were not prepared by them. To this, Sharif complained what is happening in the court is not being reported properly.
Talking to journalists after attending the hearing at Accountability Court, Nawaz criticized Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan over his recent marriage controversy. "It is very unfortunate that an honorable family is giving explanation about the controversy of the PTI chief marriage while Imran Khan is hiding behind the curtains. If you (Imran) have done something, come forward and clear the controversy," he said.
Earlier, Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain Muhammad Safdar (retd) arrived at the Accountability Court amid tight security arrangements in connection with three corruption references filed against them by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
During the hearing, Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir recorded the statements of three prosecution witnesses including Sidra Mansoor, Joint Registrar at Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Muhammad Tasleem Khan, Inland Revenue officer, Muhammad Zuabir, Manger (legal) Standard Chartered Bank, and Malik Muhammad Uzair, Assistant Director NAB, while the sixth witness Umar Daraz Gondal did not appear to record his statement due to ill-health.
While recording her statement in Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Company reference, Mansoor told the court that she appeared before NAB investigation officer on August 26, 2016 and produced certified copies of some record including copies of Form-A of Mehran Ramzan Textile Mill.
She further told the court that according to Form-A, up to December 31, 2001, Hussain Nawaz was holding 487,400 shares at the rate of Rs 10 per share of Mehran Ramzan Textile Mill, and as per Form-A up to March 27, 2001, the entire 487,400 shares were transferred to Sharif Trust on February 12, 2001 with remarks all shared demanded were transferred to Sharif Trust.
She said that another transfer of shares was also disclosed in Farm-A as 1,000 shares were transferred from Sharif Trust to Nawas Sharif on March 16, 2001. She further said that her statement was also recorded by NAB investigation officer on August 25, 2017.
During cross-examination, defense lawyer Khawaja Haris asked the witness to tell the court who had asked her to produce record related to Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Company. She said that NAB had written a letter to the SECP to produce the relevant record. She was further asked who had said that it was related to Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Company. She said the investigation officer told her that the investigation was about Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Company.
Haris asked her if the record of Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Company was available with SECP. She replied that this is not in her knowledge. To a question, Mansoor said that the investigation officer did not ask her about Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Company.
She said that as per the record, no transaction was recorded from Mehran Ramzan Textile Mills Ltd to Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Company. She also said that investigation officer also did not ask any question about transactions. Mansoor said that she had not prepared or produce these documents. Another prosecution witness Tasleem Khan, Inland Revenue Commissioner, while recording his statement in the Al-Azizia reference said that he appeared before NAB investigation officer on August 22, 2017 and produced income and wealth tax record of Nawaz Sharif and his children to the concerned officer.
He further said that NAB officers Kamran and Mehboob Alam recorded the statement of Jahangir Ahmed, an official of Inland Revenue department, in his presence. Haris while cross-examining the witness asked him, "Who was the chairman of FBR when you appeared before the NAB officer?" He replied that it was not in his knowledge. Other two witnesses, Mohammad Zubair and Uzair, also recorded their statements before the court. Another witness in the Avenfield reference, Umar Daraz Gondal, could not appear in court due to his ill-health.
The court after recording statements of witnesses and cross-examination adjourned the hearing till January 16 and summoned three more witnesses including Nasir Janjua, Afaq Ahmed and Draz Gondal on the next hearing.