ISLAMABAD - Amid the exchange of hot words between defence and prosecution lawyers, Accountability Court Islamabad on Wednesday made mutual legal assistance dated May 31, 2017 record of Al-Azizia Steel Mills case and others and adjourned the hearing in the case till September 24.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was brought to the court premises in tight security from Adiala Jail for Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference when Defence Counsel Kh. Harris resumed cross-examination of the prosecution witness Wajid Zia, who was the head of the joint investigation team on Panama Papers revelations.
As the defence counsel initiated cross-questioning, NAB prosecutor Muzaffar Abbassi intervened and addressing defence counsel said that he has been testifying the witness for the past over three months.
The remarks by NA prosecutor provoked defence counsel Kh. Harris who said that it was not him but NAB which was causing delay in the trial by raising baseless objections during the cross-examination of the witness.
He further said that he should move an application with the court to usurp his right to testify the witnesses and addressing the court, adding the court could order in favour of prosecution on even verbal request of the NAB prosecutor.
NAB Court Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik expressed his displeasure over the verbal brawl between the defence and prosecution lawyer and remarked that if they were to quarrel in this way then he would better leave the court.
The court further directed the defence lawyer to conclude the cross-examination of Wajid Zia today but Kh. Harris said that as he was to appear before the IHC in connection with the case seeking suspension of sentences of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Capt(Retd) Safdar in Avenfield case so he could not complete his cross-examination of Wajid Zia.
On this point NAB prosecutor once again intervened and said that Kh. Harris had completed his arguments in the case in IHC and today defence side would be presenting its arguments.
Kh. Harris once again came up with a harsh comment saying that now the NAB prosecutor would decide on his behalf whether he would attend the IHC proceedings or not. He further said that even during the arguments of prosecution his presence in the courtroom would be essential to attend to some of the court queries or to put the record straight in case prosecution would twist some facts.
Kh. Harris said that he could not continue with his cross-examination of the witness in such an atmosphere. On that the court asked defence counsel to take a break of 10 minutes and resume cross-examination of the witness.
Later on the court after hearing arguments made mutual legal assistance dated May 31, 2017 part of the record of the case.
Once again objecting to the request of prosecution to make the MLA part of the case record but not make it public, the defence counsel said that once some document was made part of the case record it would be the right of the defence to secure its copy and it could no more remain a secret document.
The cross-examination of the prosecution witness Wajid Zia was in progress when court adjourned the hearing in the case on the request of defence counsel till Sept. 24 as he was to appear before the IHC in another case.
