No evidence found linking Nawaz to Hill Metal: Wajid Zia

ISLAMABAD: Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head and prosecution's star witness Wajid Zia on Friday said no evidence was found linking former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to Hill Metal Establishment.

“Neither any witness claimed nor there is any document to show that Nawaz was involved in any way with Hill Metal Establishment,” Zia said during his cross-examination as Judge Mohammad Bashir presided proceedings in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference.

“There was also no document showing that Nawaz had the authority to take loans or run Hill Metal or made deals with financial institutions,” the prosecution’s star witness added as Nawaz's counsel Khawaja Haris cross-examined him during the hearing.

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“Nor was there any document regarding Nawaz’s involvement in the sale or running of Gulf Steel Mills,” the JIT head continued.

When questioned regarding when Hill Metal Establishment was registered as per his investigation, the Panamagate JIT head replied, “According to the documents presented, it was registered in 2005.”

“JIT could not ascertain during investigation that Hill Metal was a sole proprietorship or a partner company,” he asserted.

Further, when Nawaz’s counsel asked him whether during investigation the JIT questioned the former premier regarding how Hill Metal was established, Zia said, “Nawaz was asked no such question during investigation.”

“He was not asked about who funded, owns or runs Hill Metal,” the JIT head added.

Responding to Khawaja Harris’ question that whether Nawaz was asked if he used the money from Hill Metal to do politics, Zia said that the former premier responded saying ‘no’ when posed with the question.

He further said, “No witness claimed that Hussain Nawaz was financially supported by Nawaz during his time abroad.”

The cross-examination of Panamagate JIT head has been adjourned till Monday.

On Thursday, Zia said he did not come across any document during investigation which showed that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is the owner of Al-Azizia Steel Mills.

Zia, an additional director at the Federal Investigation Agency, headed the Panama case joint investigation team (JIT) which probed the Sharif family’s assets last year.

The cases

Nawaz and his family are facing three corruption cases in the Accountability Court-I after the NAB filed references against them in light of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case.

The trial against the Sharif family had commenced on September 14, 2017.

The corruption references, filed against the Sharifs, pertain to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, offshore companies including Flagship Investment Ltd, and Avenfield properties of London.

Nawaz and sons Hussain and Hasan are accused in all three references whereas his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Safdar are accused in the Avenfield reference only.

The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court.

The court originally had a deadline of six months which ended in mid-March but was extended for two months after the judge requested the apex court.