*ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Harris and the Panama Papers JIT head Wajid Zia clashed in the Accountability Court on Tuesday.*
*Khwaja Haris resumed cross-examination of Wajid Zia, who is the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head in Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references.*
The hearing, held with Judge Malik Mohammad Arshad in the chair, witnessed a heated exchange between the two officials. At one point, Khawaja Harris called Wajid Zia dishonest man, prompting protest from the latter. The ex-PM counsel later retracted his statement about Zia.
The JIT head, however, in his response asked Mr. Haris “you must not withdraw your words, this is the part of your profession.”
On Aug 7, a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb, allowed transfer of the Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references to another accountability court.
The deposed premier’s counsel had filed a petition requesting the court to transfer both the references from the accountability court of Muhammad Bashir to another accountability court.
Nawaz Sharif was arrested on July 13 along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif when the duo returned to the country. The arrest was in compliance with July 6 court order, convicting them in the Avenfield properties reference.