Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday admitted that he had gifted most of the money he had received from abroad to his daughter Maryam Nawaz.
Nawaz admited that he received money from outside the country but added that 77 per cent of it was gifted to his daughter.
The comments were made as the former premier answered 120 of the 151 questions for the third day consecutive day to the accountability court in the federal capital.
“I have never claimed to own Al-Azizia mills. I have always said I had nothing to do with the [mills],” he said.
He claimed that his tax returns document the money he had received from abroad, adding that it was his right to use them as he wished.
He reiterated that he never personally relied on Qatari Prince Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani’s letters in front of the Supreme Court, adding that the letters show the royal family was willing to cooperate with the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) investigating the matter.
“The JIT kept unnecessarily strict conditions for recording their [Qataris’] statements. It seemed from the JIT’s ways that it did not want to record the prince’s statement,” said the former premier.
“They were not presented before this court, nor are they being tried with me,” he said in reference to the statements recorded by his sons Hasan and Hussain to the JIT.
“Their interviews can’t be presented as evidence. During investigation, no one’s statements serve as acceptable evidence,” he said while adding that their statements could not be used as evidence against him.
Hearing of the case has been adjourned till Monday.
On Wednesday, Nawaz Sharif refused to answer the court’s queries concerning the tax returns and wealth statements of his sons, Hasan and Hussain, saying the matter didn’t come within his purview.
“I cannot answer questions regarding the income tax returns and wealth statements of Hassan and Hussain Nawaz. It is not within my purview,” he informed the court.
“I have shown all my income tax returns, my assets and my sources of income. It is true that the financial documents, including tax records, wealth statements and wealth tax returns, are all my own,” he added.
An accountability court hearing the remaining two corruption references against the Sharif family on Friday wrote a letter to the Supreme Court to seek another extension in the deadline to conclude the cases.
Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik in his letter to the SC registrar wrote, “The trial against Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references is near conclusion. It is not possible to complete the trial by the deadline given by the Supreme Court thus more time should be given.”
