Key prosecution witness Wajid Zia Friday testified before the Accountability Court that joint investigation team (JIT) that probed Panama Papers case did not find any document showing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as the owner, shareholder or sole proprietor of Hill Metals Establishment (HME). "The JIT did not come across any document in which accused Nawaz Sharif was figured as the owner, shareholder, sole proprietor or director of HME," he said, while testifying before Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir in Al-Azizia and Hill Metals Establishment reference.
However, there are a dozens of transactions from HME to accused Nawaz Sharif and Hussain Nawaz, he said, adding that his son owns HME as benamidar of his father. During the hearing, Sharif and his son-in-law Captain Muhammad Safdar (retd) were present in the court who were later allowed to leave the court.
To a question raised by defense counsel Khawaja Haris, Zia said that the JIT did not come across any document through which Sharif has ever been authorized to act on behalf of HME for the purpose of running its business. "It also did not come across any document to show that Sharif was authorized to sign agreement or instrumental for obtaining land on lease or otherwise for purchase of machinery for running of HME," he said.
He said that it did not come across any document whereby Sharif had been authorized on behalf of HME to obtain loan for setting it up, establishment and running the business. The HME was registered in 2005 as per the document produced before the JIT. None of the witnesses who stated that Sharif participated in setting up of HME appeared before the JIT, Zia said.
"The JIT did not conclusively ascertain whether the HME was sole proprietorship company or a partnership company," he said. He said that no specific question was asked by the JIT from Sharif about how the HME was established. "No question was asked from Sharif as to who was the owner of HME, who contributed fund for its establishment as well as who was running the business of the HME," he said.
Zia said that no witness appeared before the JIT who stated that accused Hussain was dependent on Sharif for his business his day-to-day living expenses. "The date of birth of Hussain is May 1, 1972 and in 2005, he was 33," he said. He said that the JIT did not come across any document to show that accused Sharif participated in the business and running of Gulf Steel Mill (GSM) or any document that Sharif obtained any loan for the mill. "No witness appeared before the JIT who stated that Sharif participated in running of business of GSM or that he has any office in GSM or that he was instrumental to obtaining any loan and had been involved in sale of GSM.
To a question, Zia said that it had come to the notice of JIT that HME was sole-proprietorship as per the documents, including loan agreements, submitted by Hussain Nawaz. He said that it is correct that according to the document submitted, the name of the company known as HME is Hill Model Industry Metal Establishment. As per above said document, Hussain Nawaz was the sole proprietorship of the HME, he added.
"It is incorrect that the JIT had not collected any evidence which contradicted the stance of Hussain that the HME is sole proprietorship and Hussain was sole proprietor of the company," he said, adding that there is no document collected by JIT showing the HEM is not sole-proprietorship.
He said that the JIT did not come across any document that showed that Rabia Shahbaz, daughter of Shahbaz Sharif, and Abbas Sharif had participated in the running of Al-Azizia Steel Company Limited (ASCL). Moreover, the JIT found no evidence that Rabia ever visited Saudi Arabia during the period when ASCL remained operational.
Similarly, the JIT had not come across any document to show that Rabia and Abbas had received any portion of the income from the business of the ASCL. No summon was issued by the JIT to Rabia to ask from her about her relationship with ASCL. "The JIT had not made any efforts to find out whether Rabia had received any profit, dividend or any proceed from ASCL."
He said that the JIT neither did directly contact nor did associate Rabia and Abbas and his immediate family for ascertaining from them whether any sale proceed of ASCL has been received by them. It is correct that the JIT during investigation did not come across any evidence to show that the business of ASCL was being run by the person other than Hussain Nawaz, he said.
The Accountability Court judge adjourned hearing till June 4. Earlier, Nawaz Sharif while talking to journalists inside the Accountability Court said that some people are bent upon delaying the upcoming general election and such characters appear before holding of every election. He said that ups and downs are part of life and a person should try to stay happy all the time.
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