Nawaz decides not to present defence in Al-Azizia steel mills reference

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif while recording his statement in Al-Azizia Steel Mills Reference has decided not to present defence.
Judge Arshid Malik of Accountability Court (AC) Islamabad took up for hearing Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference against former PM Nawaz Sharif on Thursday.
During the course of hearing of the case former PM said he is not presenting his defence in Al-Azizia steel mills reference. This case was framed on the basis of the allegations leveled against him by his opponents and one sided report of JIT.
“ I was shown as owner of Al-Azizia and Hill metal wrongly in JIT report. The learned bench of Supreme Court (SC) was also not fully satisfied with JIT. The SC sent the case to trial court so that there is left no doubt”, he added.
The learned judge questioned from Nawaz, why this case was framed against you and as to why the witnesses recorded their evidence.
Nawaz Sharif replied this case was run on assumptions. This case started with the charges of money laundering, tax evasion and corruption and after ruthless accountability, the matter came to accumulation of assets disproportionate to income.
He said no one other than Wajid Zia and investigation officer gave evidence against him. Their statement is not liable to be accepted as evidence. Wajid Zia and investigation officer accepted on oath that no evidence was found against him.
The prosecution also failed to present evidence proving that I was the guardian of Hasan and Hussain Nawaz and that they were benamidaars. They also failed to prove indictment charges against me,” Nawaz said.
Al-Azizia Steel Mill was established by my father in 2001 and Hussain Nawaz was 29 years old at that time, he said .