RAWALPINDI: Accountability court on Thursday ordered to present ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references.
During the hearing headed by Justice Mohammad Arshad Malik, NAB’s Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar told that Islamabad High Court (IHC) has shifted both references to your court.
Nawaz Sharif is facing sentence in Avenfield reference while his sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz have been declared absconders as they are not appearing in the court, he added.
Deputy prosecutor general said that former PM was not presented before the court after his arrest due to security concerns.
Subsequently, the court also ordered Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head Wajid Zia to attend the hearing on Monday.
Earlier, bench, hearing Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar’s plea against their sentences in Avenfield reference, dissolved after Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza excused himself to proceed due to personal reason.
It is to be mentioned here that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar were convicted and sentenced to prison in absentia for ten years, seven years and one year respectively, in Avenfield verdict that is likely to further disrupt an already chaotic campaign for national elections this month. Maryam Nawaz and Captain (Retd) Safdar, who were candidates for the forthcoming general elections, were also disqualified from contesting elections for 10 years each.
The sentence and a fine of 8 million pounds, or $10.6 million, came almost a year after Supreme Court removed Sharif from office and less than five months after the court barred him from holding office for life.
Nawaz Sharif was convicted under section 9(a)(5) of the NAB ordinance.
The case stemmed from the Panama Papers leak that disclosed expensive and undeclared property owned by the Sharif family in London.
It may be mentioned here that Safdar was arrested by the NAB authorities in Rawalpindi on July 9 while Nawaz Sharif and Maryam were taken into custody by the officials few minutes after their flight landed at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport on Friday night and shifted to Adiala Jail.
Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir, who was present in the jail, issued warrants for imprisonment for Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. A team of doctors conducted the medical checkup of both the accused and declared them fit.
Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were then shifted to B-Class facility in Adiala Jail. – NNI