ISLAMABAD, MAY 03 (DNA) – The hearing of Avenfield reference has entered final phase as ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar appeared in accountability court today (Thursday).

During the proceedings headed by Justice Mohammad Bashir, defence lawyer Khawaja Harris continued cross-examination of last witness investigation officer Imran Dogar.

Earlier, Imran Dogar had told the accountability court that the trust deeds submitted by Maryam Nawaz to Joint Investigation Team (JIT) were proven false.

He said that he got the copy of record that included land registry, London flat, utility bills and council tax documents on March 28, 2018. During the probe, Nawaz Sharif was found owner of Avenfield properties which proved that the Sharif family is involved in corruption and corrupt practices, he added.

Ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter were unable to appear in the court after which their exemption pleas were submitted in the court.

SC disqualified Sharif from office in July over unreported sources of annual income of about $10,000, a salary the former premier denies ever receiving. The high court also ordered the NAB to investigate and conduct a trial into the Sharif family’s wider finances, including the London properties.

Sharif was also ousted from the presidency of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which elected close ally Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister after Sharif was disqualified.