Avenfield trial in final phase

The London-based Avenfield reference trial against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family has entered its final phase.

An accountability court in Islamabad on Tuesday turned down the objections of Sharif family's lawyer Khawaja Haris on recording of statements of the accused in the Avenfield properties case.

The court has decided to initiate the process under the Section 342 of Pakistan's Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), according to which, the accused is given an opportunity to defend himself/herself before the ultimate verdict or the judgment is passed, the Dawn reports.

Questionnaires will be issued to the accused on Wednesday, according to reports.

Meanwhile, star prosecution witness Wajid Zia, who headed the Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT), has completed his statement before the court.

The defence lawyer will cross-examine from Wednesday.

Sharif, his sons Hasan and Hussain, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Capt (retd) Mohammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar are facing multiple corruption references in the accountability court.

The Pakistan Supreme Court had, on July 28, disqualified Sharif from holding the office of the prime minister and asked the National Accountability Bureau to file references against the Sharif family in connection with corruption cases against them.

On the orders of the country's Supreme Court, a JIT was formed last year to probe the allegations on the Sharif family.