Avenfield reference: Nawaz, others given last chance to record statements

The Accountability Court Friday gave accused Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain Muhammad Safdar (retd) last chance to record their statements in the Avenfield reference on Monday. At the start of hearing in the Avenfield reference, defense counsel Khawaja Haris urged Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir to delay the recording of statements of the accused till Monday, saying they need more time because they want to examince the questionnaire. Haris said that there are some questions in the questionnaire which they could not understand and they need to be clarified or explained.
The court on previous hearing gave a questionnaire to the accused Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain Muhammad Safdar (retd) through their counsel and ordered that their statements would be recorded on May 18 (Friday). Haris also said, "We have applied for obtaining the copies of some documents from the Supreme Court; therefore, the recording of statements of the accused should be delayed." He further said that the statements of the accused should be recorded after recording of statements of the witnesses in two other cases. "Recording of statements of the accused before the witnesses will expose our defense," he said.
Deputy Prosecutor General NAB Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi while objecting to defence counsel's request said that defence is just wasting court's time to delay the proceedings. "The defense should record the statements of the accused," he said. He said the court has provided a questionnaire to the accused for their facilitation, although the prosecution was not opposed to it.
After hearing the arguments of both prosecution and defence, the court approved the defence's plea but observed that this is the last chance and recording of statements of the accused will not be delayed further after Monday. The court also ordered that JIT head Wajid Zia, whose cross-examination in the Al-Azizia and Hill Metals Establishment reference was to resume on Monday, should now appear before the court on Tuesday.
Earlier, Sharif and Maryam Nawaz appeared before the court amid tight security arrangements. Talking to reporters inside the Accountability Court, Sharif said now everyone will be held accountable for whatever one has done. Responding to a question regarding Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari's statement who asked Sharif to make himself accountable for the last 30 years, he said now no one will escape from accountability.