Panamagate JIT head turns up to court as witness in Dar’s graft reference

Wajid ZiaWajid Zia

ISLAMABAD: Former head of Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT) Wajid Zia on Thursday appeared before the accountability court here as a prosecution witness in a graft reference filed against erstwhile finance minister Ishaq Dar.

As Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir resumed the hearing, Wajid Zia, who is Additional Director of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), informed the court that the final report of JIT findings is not available with him as the records were submitted to the Supreme Court.

The accountability judge then noted that a letter requesting provision of the records was previously submitted to the Supreme Court’s registrar office. “We will send out a reminder,” he remarked.

To which, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor apprised the judge that the record concerning the accused is in the Volume I and IX of JIT report.

Nadir Abbas, an investigation officer of the case, was also present at the court to record his statement.

The court then asked Zia to appear before it on February 12 to record his statement and adjourned the hearing.

According to the NAB reference, Dar had acquired assets and pecuniary interests/resources in his name or in the name of his dependents of an approximate amount of Rs831.678 million as per the investigation conducted so far.

The anti-corruption watchdog has nominated Dar in a graft reference for possessing the assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

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