*ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Harris andthe Panama Papers JIT head Wajid Zia clashed in the Accountability Court onTuesday.*
*Khwaja Haris resumed cross-examination of Wajid Zia, who is the JointInvestigation Team (JIT) head in Al-Azizia and Flagship Investmentreferences.*
The hearing, held with Judge Malik Mohammad Arshad in the chair, witnesseda heated exchange between the two officials. At one point, Khawaja Harriscalled Wajid Zia dishonest man, prompting protest from the latter. Theex-PM counsel later retracted his statement about Zia.
The JIT head, however, in his response asked Mr. Haris “you must notwithdraw your words, this is the part of your profession.”
On Aug 7, a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court, comprisingJustice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb, allowedtransfer of the Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references to anotheraccountability court.
The deposed premier’s counsel had filed a petition requesting the court totransfer both the references from the accountability court of MuhammadBashir to another accountability court.
Nawaz Sharif was arrested on July 13 along with his daughter Maryam NawazSharif when the duo returned to the country. The arrest was in compliancewith July 6 court order, convicting them in the Avenfield propertiesreference.