Pak court summons JIT head over Sharif's corruption case

An accountability court of Pakistan has summoned Wajid Zia, head of the Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT) with original records on February 22, in connection with London-based Avenfield properties case against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

The court summoned Zia on the request of National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) prosecutor, who said that the original records would be required during statements of two foreign witnesses- Robert W Radley, the principal at the Radley Forensic Document Laboratory and Akhtar Raja, the principal at the Quist Solicitors.

Both witnesses could not attend trial earlier this month, as the prosecution said they were in United Kingdom and could not come to Pakistan due to security reasons and 'heavy engagements.'

The court also directed the former prime minister, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (R) Safdar to be present during the hearing.

This will be the first time Wajid Zia and Sharif will be present in the same court together.

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.