ISLAMABAD: Head of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) Wajid Zia, during his cross-examination by the defence counsel on Tuesday, informed the court that the team did not investigate the mode of payment to former premier Nawaz Sharif from Capital FZE.
The statement by the JIT head was made in an accountability court, which resumed the hearing of the Avenfield reference against the Sharif family.
On the ninth day of the cross-examination, the focus shifted to the payment certificate obtained by the JIT from Jebal Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA). “The payment certificate is certified by JAFZA and it clearly established a payment,” Zia said.
Haris then questioned the JIT’s process of obtaining the relevant documents from Capital FZE. “In volume six of the report, the payment certificate attached contains the term ‘OTC’, what does it stand for,” Haris questioned Zia. “I can’t say for sure,” Zia replied.
At this, Haris questioned whether the JIT made efforts to investigate what OTC stands for, to which Zia replied in the negative and based his argument on the certificate itself and not its contents.
Haris further questioned Zia on another term mentioned in the certificate, ‘WPS’, asking Zia if he knew what it meant, to which the JIT head again replied in the negative. Haris then said ‘WPS’ can stand for Wage Protection System.
The WPS system was introduced in 2009, Haris commented. “I don’t know when it was introduced, but when the JIT went to obtain the documents, it was in place,” Zia replied. At this, Haris replied that the WPS payment system can only be made through banks, to which Zia said, “As per my knowledge, the certificate was to be produced in front of relevant authorities, and that’s what I have done.”
Upon further probe, the investigation team head revealed that it did not come to the notice of the team that under the WPS, an OTC payment is not permissible. “JIT did not investigate how WPS works in Dubai, the banking channel can be the only mode of payment,” Zia said.
Zia also replied in the negative when asked if the payment certificate mentioned Nawaz’s name.
The JIT head admitted that the team prepared no recovery or memo of possession when they went to Dubai to obtain the documents. The JIT also never confronted Hassan Nawaz regarding the documents pertaining to Capital FZE when he appeared before the team, Zia added and further revealed that the JIT did not approach the company directors or the secretaries of Capital FZE in Dubai.
Zia also admitted that no notice was sent to Nawaz or Hassan relating to the documents obtained.
The NAB had filed three corruption references against the Sharif family pertaining to Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hills Metal Establishment, offshore companies including Flagship Investment Ltd and London’s Avenfield properties after the Panama case verdict.
Nawaz and his sons, Hassan and Hussain, are accused in all three references, whereas daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar are accused in the Avenfield reference.
Published in Daily Times, April 11th 2018.
