FAZAL SHER
ISLAMABAD: In a major development, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris Monday recused himself from representing Sharif in three corruption references filed against him by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
At the start of hearing of Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Establishment reference, Haris told Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir that he is formally withdrawing from the case. He submitted an application requesting to withdraw his vakalatnama (power of attorney) in three cases along with vakalatnamas of his team of lawyers namely Barrister Saad M Hashmi, Ayesha Hamid, Barrister Ali Ameel, Parvez Malik and Zaafir Khan Tareen.
Haris said that Supreme Court on Sunday last ordered the completion of trial of cases within one month and it also ordered to conduct its hearings on Saturday. He said he and his team cannot perform under such pressure, adding that he cannot do justice to his job under such pressure.
The judge called Sharif to the rostrum and questioned him about his counsel. “Who will be your lawyer now? Or will you convince Haris?” the judge questioned Sharif. “I can inform the court following some consultation. I need some time for consultation,” Sharif said.
Haris was scheduled to cross-examine prosecution witness Wajid Zia, head of joint investigation team (JIT) that probed Panama Papers case in Al-Azizia Steel Mills; however, the court adjourned the proceedings after Haris’ decision of withdrawal. Haris withdrew himself from the case after representing the Sharifs for nine months. The hearing of the Avenfield reference is scheduled for June 12 (Tuesday).
In an application titled ‘withdrawal of vakalatnamas from titled case,’ Nawaz Sharif’s counsel stated that the defense had prayed upon the court numerous times to club three references. However, all pleas to club the references were rejected.
He further stated in his application that the prosecution has taken almost nine months to close its evidence in one reference while evidence in other references has not been completed even till today. Yet it is at this state that pressure is now being made to bear upon him and his client in the view of the direction given by the Supreme Court for completing the process of recording of deposition of the remaining witnesses as well as arguments in all three references within a month and that too by holding court on Saturdays and even beyond court hours so as to ensure that this process is completed within the period so stipulated.
“In this context, the undersigned (he) is convinced that he would not be able to discharge his professional duties towards his client to the best of his abilities both in terms of cross-examination of the remaining witnesses whose depositions are to be recorded in the titled references as well as reference # 18/2017 and in terms of rendering proper and effective assistance to this court in submitted arguments on the numerous propositions of fact as well as of law which involved in all the three references,” it said.
He further stated in his application that in view of the Supreme Court order dated June 10, 2018, “the undersigned feels seriously constricted in his ability as a lawyer to do justice. In the aforementioned circumstances, it is not possible for him to continue to represent his client in the titled references therefore kindly allow him to withdraw his vakalatnama in the titled cases along with his team, he said.”
Talking to reporters informally inside the Accountability Court and responding to a question whether the Supreme Court had granted him exemption from appearing before the court in the corruption references, , Sharif denied having made any request to the apex court. “I never made any such request nor will I make any such request in future,” he said.
